Popular Rockets trade target may (finally) be off the market

The Houston Rockets don't need Jimmy Butler.

Why beat around the bush? The Rockets have a young roster. They're among the best teams in the NBA. They have a surplus of assets. Why give anything up for a player closer to retirement than his prime?

It's a belabored point. It's not a dead horse - the rumors persist - but it's dying. The final blow may have been stricken. It doesn't seem like the Rockets are going to acquire Butler:

It doesn't seem like Butler is going anywhere.

Popular Rockets trade target seems to be off the market

At least, if you let Kevin Love tell it, Butler is keeping his talents in South Beach.

Love posted a famous clip from Wolf of Wall Street that shows Leonardo DiCaprio's character exclaiming that, to paraphrase, he's "not leaving" the office. He included a caption that read "Live look at Jimmy after meeting with Micky", surely referencing Heat owner Micky Arison.

Love doesn't speak for Butler, but if Butler were to endorse the post, it would be telling. That's exactly what he did. Butler "liked" Love's post.

It all feels a bit silly, doesn't it? We're gossiping about social media posts like high school students.

Oh my god. Did you see Kevin's post? Jimmy liked it! I wonder who he's taking to prom?

Welcome to 2025. These are the conventions of our times. Social media is ubiquitous, and we'll pay attention to it.

Love is close to this situation. His observations alone matter. Still, the fact that Butler liked the post is particularly telling. He's not going anywhere.

Right?

Rockets should avoid Butler either way

Let's not get carried away.

NBA trade requests can be a rollercoaster. As soon as you think you're out of the woods, you find yourself surrounded by pine. Nobody should reach any definitive conclusions here.

Still, it's an indicator. Frankly, Butler's trade value is likely marginal. It's an open secret that he's looking for another max contract. The list of NBA teams who will look to pay a 35-year-old so generously is slim.

The Rockets should not be on that list. Sure, the temptation to add Butler is understandable. This team is already second in the West, and Butler would make them a better team. By simple logic, improving an already-excellent team should put them in the title picture.

Rockets fans should be more skeptical. The Thunder, Celtics and Cavaliers would still be decidedly ahead of them even if they acquired Butler. The more sensible course of action is to hang onto their young players and assets and see how far this core group can go over the next 2 or 3 seasons. If the Rockets seem to have hit a ceiling, there will be stars to acquire then:

The Rockets shouldn't trade for one until they need one.