It would be difficult to envision a stronger start to the season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Their 25-4 record leads the league and is one of the better starts in modern NBA history. They have already notched wins over each of the other Eastern Conference contenders. They have a net rating of +11.6, which if it lasts the entire season would put them in legendary status as far as regular season teams go.
Their offense in particular has undergone a makeover under first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson. The Cavaliers have the No. 1 offense in the league by a significant mark (over two Eastern Conference teams, the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, interestingly enough) and are shooting the lights out. They have an effective field goal percentage of 59.5 percent, which not only leads the league by a mile but is the highest mark in NBA history.
In fact, there is truly just one blemish on their offensive profile this season: drawing free throws. As the Cavaliers have destroyed worlds shooting, they have drawn fewer fouls. They rank 20th in total free throws attempted, 20th in free throw rate, and 20th in percentage of total shots that are free throws. For a team with the best offense in the league, they are mediocre at getting to the line.
Perhaps the answer is a more aggressive approach from the team's perimeter stars, or a tweak in which actions are being run. What if instead, the answer was plastered across the headlines of every basketball-covering media outlet?
What if the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Jimmy Butler?
Building a Cavaliers trade offer for Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat appear headed for a divorce, whether that is this summer or at the Trade Deadline. As a result, trade suitors are lining up their offers to try and land the mercurial but undeniably potent Butler.
One of Butler's strengths as an offensive force is his ability to get to the free throw line. He ranks third in free throws attempted per 100 possessions, and has averaged at least seven attempts per game in 10 of the last 11 seasons. If the Cavaliers are looking for a solution, Butler would bring it.
Is a trade for an expensive superstar like Jimmy Butler even possible for the Cavaliers? It is, but it would require either moving Darius Garland -- something the Cavs have absolutely no interest in doing -- or stacking together a number of other contracts.
Here is what such a deal could look like:
Would the Miami Heat make this deal? This would make them extremely versatile for both lineup combinations and the flexibility to make other trades, as moving one valuable veteran is easier than a star making $50 million in the current salary climate. Jaylon Tyson has shown very real flashes when he has been on the court, and both LeVert and Strus have positive trade value. The Heat could even work out other suitors before making the deal official and reroute them to other teams for draft capital.
Is this offer better than other offers out there? Perhaps not, but it's no guarantee those teams bring their best offer, especially given Butler's expectations of being paid next summer. This is a solid offer, and if teams like the Golden State Warriors or Memphis Grizzlies don't go all-in, it could convince Miami.
Would the Cavaliers offer this deal, however? The final starting lineup would certainly be fearsome, five All-Star level players: Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jimmy Butler, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The spacing would be extremely challenged with three relative non-shooters on the court, but the defense and passing would be elite.
The bench would still have a collection of shooting to fill in, with Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro still there to fill in. That's a legitimate playoff rotation, although there is not much replacement depth if anyone misses time.
After this season, however, the implications of this deal would be painful. Butler expects a significant payday, and that would skyrocket the Cavaliers above the second luxury tax apron if they try to bring everyone back. They also would have a small window with Butler, now 35 years old, still playing at an All-Star level.
This deal would change the Cavs in a significant way, taking away shooting and depth to lean into grit, intensity and an ability to get to the free throw line. Butler turns into a Top-5 player in the playoffs, but would Mitchell be ready to hand the torch off to another star? What about Garland and Mobley, pushed even further down the pecking order?
Cleveland shouldn't be complacent at the Trade Deadline; they have a team good enough to win it all, so they should be aggressive in pursuing that goal. There is also something to be said about whether Mitchell or Mobley can be the Top-10 player this team historically needs to win a title.
Adding Butler is an awfully risky move, however, with a lot of downside. It's tempting, and maybe it would even work - but it's hard to think the Cavaliers would take that gamble.
Grade: C+