On October 31, Beijing time, former NBA player Ariza talked about the Rockets on the All The Smoke podcast. It was previously reported that the Rockets are interested in Butler, with Ariza believing that the Rockets should trade Butler and believing that Jalen Green would be a good fit for the Heat.

"If I were the Rockets, I'd be willing to trade him for Butler, with the same mentality for the game as the coach, he's tough," Ariza said, "If Jalen Green can go to the Heat, that's the best case for him, and I think it's the perfect match...... The Heat's culture matches his talent. This will take his game and career to a completely different level. ”

It's worth noting that before these trade rumors heated up, the Rockets had already signed Green to a three-year contract extension. However, some salary experts have pointed out that the terms of this extension are quite interesting, as it is not a four-year contract, but a three-year contract, with a player option for the third year. It's like a contract built for trade chips.

If the Rockets are willing to give up Green, what kind of leverage can they have to impress the Heat? In June this year, some American media posted a 3-for-2 trade plan, which was that the Rockets would send Green, Dillon and the 2024 Tanhua pick to get the Heat's Butler and the No. 15 pick. In the end, no trade took place, with the Rockets using the No. 15 pick to select Shepard, while the Heat used the No. 15 pick to pick center Weir.

Since the beginning of the season, Butler has played in three games, averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game, shooting 44.1% from the field and only 16.7% from three-point range. Green averaged 28.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range. Many fans believe that the Rockets should not chase Butler, after all, he is 35 years old, almost 12 years older than Green, and it is not worth the Rockets to invest in assets to trade.