There are plenty of superstar free agent targets in the 2019 offseason for the Miami Heat to choose from. One of them was a trade target by Pat Riley and company last October until talks fell apart at the last minute.

Jimmy Butler should have been a member of the Heat this past season. A deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves was imminent with both teams exchanging medical information of the players involved. Unfortunately, Minnesota asked for too much and Riley balked.

The Heat have a second shot at landing Butler beginning in July when his contract expires. When that time comes, the Heat should look to renew their pursuit of the All-Star forward to continue their rebuilding efforts after Dwyane Wade’s retirement.

In order to facilitate a potential Butler signing, the Heat have to deal with two of their own players who are considering to opt out of their current contracts—Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside. Assuming they decline their optional year, the Heat will have roughly $20 million in cap space. That may not be enough to land Butler but it’s a start to purge some of their bigger contracts.

Here are three reasons why the Heat should definitely pursue Butler:

3. Butler can be the Heat’s cornerstone

He’s usually surrounded by All-Stars most of his career but Butler can become the cornerstone of a new era in the Heat franchise.

Though he may not be in the same class as Wade talent-wise, Butler is one of the premier two-way players in the league just a notch below Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. A player of this caliber is essential to any team looking to compete for a championship. It might take more than a few moves for the Heat to come close to title contention, but locking him in to a multi-year contract is a step in the right direction.

2. Butler will legitimize the Heat as playoff contenders

It has been a while since Miami had a legitimate shot at the NBA title. Since LeBron James left the franchise and Chris Bosh suffered health issues that eventually led to his retirement, the Heat have never been the same.

Having a quality, do-it-all swingman bolsters the team’s chances at making the playoffs especially in the east where their competition for a playoff spot isn’t as tough as the west. At 6-foot-8, Butler’s presence on the Heat — together with 6-foot-7 Justise Winslow (12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists a night) and 6-foot-6 Josh Richardson (16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists) — will give them three long wing players who can wreak havoc defensively against perimeter players. Coincidentally, they’d be the new version of the Dallas Mavericks’ Three J’s from the mid-1990s that had Jason Kidd, Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn on their roster.

This new trio may not be as good as the Mavs’ former threesome, but they can cause tough matchup problems for opponents especially those that like to go small at crucial moments of a game. With Butler leading the way, the Heat have a competitive team that can be an exciting and intriguing team next season.

1. Butler could blossom into a true superstar in Miami

He’s already had multiple All-Star appearances and he’s definitely worth a max contract, but Butler is not yet considered a franchise player. As the new face of the franchise with a championship coach on the sidelines, Jimmy Buckets has an opportunity to grow into the role.

The 4-time All-Defensive team member has grown as a leader this past year with the Sixers. If given the reins to the Heat, Butler may yet show leadership potential for a team that’s hungry to get back to the playoffs and beyond.

He’s a 2-time All-NBA selection who averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game this past season. His fourth-quarter scoring (6.4 points a night; 14th overall in the league) proves that he can take over in the clutch as well as anyone. He hit three game-winners in the regular season and carried the Sixers with 30 points in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup against the Toronto Raptors to tie the series at one game apiece.

As good as he is right now, Butler could be even more special given the right situation and the Heat will give him the chance to become an elite-level superstar.