Whether or not Jimmy Butler is traded ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, it's possible that a less heralded transaction might be the difference in transforming a team into an NBA Finals contender.
Last season's Dallas Mavericks are a prime example. The Mavs revamped their starting five at the 2024 deadline by adding Daniel Gafford from the Washington Wizards and P.J. Washington from the Charlotte Hornets, boosting a team mired in the play-in race into the Finals.
But as we saw in 2023, incorporating a bigger star at the deadline remains a challenge.