A few weeks ago, in a Grizzlies trade-market column, I briefly broached the subject of star Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler as a potential target. 

Butler was the biggest name in the rumor mill and some in the national media had speculated about the Grizzlies as a landing spot. I classified it as an idea for which one could make an argument, but a scenario so complicated and so lacking in evidence of team interest that it wasn’t yet worth taking seriously. 

Some things have changed since then. 

Herrington: What the Grizzlies’ trade offer to Brooklyn says about this season

It’s been a rocky few weeks for Butler in Miami. First, Heat organization honcho Pat Riley declared that Butler would not be traded this season. Then Butler did a bit of “quiet quitting” on the court before airing some grievances in a postgame news conference. The Heat suspended Butler for seven games for “conduct detrimental to the team” and put the word out that they would, now, be entertaining trade offers.

As a result, Butler trade speculation went into overdrive, and this weekend witnessed another burst of speculation about the Grizzlies as a trade partner. 

This last bit may be news to readers who are not active on social media, in large part because it isn’t really news. For now, at least, it’s purely in the realm of rumor, speculation and perhaps a little manipulation. 

Sort through the chatter and you’ll find that none of it is rooted in any kind of reporting. Instead, the main instigator is a change in some betting odds from one of the now-ubiquitous sports gambling operations. I can’t decide whether it’s funny or sad how much knowledge and wisdom some (read: some guys who like sports) assume on behalf of “Vegas.”

That there’s no evidence of Grizzlies’ interest in Butler doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s no interest. But if you look closely at the parameters and complications of a potential Butler deal, it still feels pretty unlikely. 

However, It’s something people are talking about, and the matrix of issues the Butler scenario touches on are probably useful to thinking about where the Grizzlies are and could be headed, so I’m going to entertain it more fully now.

Let’s work through some questions.