Jimmy Butler’s future with the Miami Heat is up in the air and that has left the organization in a tricky situation. Do they go with a win-now approach or plan with the Bam Adebayo era in mind? Their moves over the offseason appear to suggest that it is the latter.

The Heat have not been very active in terms of player acquisition. In fact, Caleb Martin’s exit might have left them weaker than they were last season. Butler’s Championship window in Miami might have come and gone. He guided the Heat to two NBA Finals but was not able to get them past the last hurdle. He was not handed a contract extension this offseason and if he declines his player option, he will become a free agent next summer. But what if the Heat did try to go all out and win now?

The addition of someone like Kawhi Leonard would certainly help in that aim. On FadeAway World, Eddie Bitar suggested a trade that would see the Heat receive Kawhi while the Los Angeles Clippers would get Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, 2030 First-Round Pick and 2031 First-Round Pick. A Big Three of Butler, Adebayo and Kawhi would be one of the best defensive units in the history of the league and would be an absolute nightmare to play against. It is the type of defence that makes you an immediate Championship contender. As Bitar wrote:

“Teams would struggle to score efficiently against a team where nearly every possession features an elite defender capable of forcing turnovers or contesting shots. This might be the most potent defensive big three since the days of the early-2000s Detroit Pistons, making Miami an immediate favorite in the Eastern Conference.” Of course, the big question about this team would be its fitness. We saw Butler miss the playoffs last season. On the other hand, Kawhi has had his fair share of injuries as well. He played just two playoff games last season and has undergone knee surgery this offseason.