Caron Butler -- whom the Heat traded in the Shaquille O'Neal deal -- has played perhaps the biggest role in the Wizards' 8-5 run without star Gilbert Arenas.

And don't think Heat coach Pat Riley has forgotten about Butler.

Riley called the sixth-year forward -- who is averaging a career-high 22.8 points per game on a career-best 52 percent shooting -- one of the ``top five small forwards in the game.''

''We rolled the dice on [trading] two young players and won a title,'' said Riley, referring to Butler and Lamar Odom. ``But now, every now and then, I see Lamar Odom, I see Caron Butler having big numbers, and I always wonder what it would be like now. I'd do the same thing over, but [Butler is] a great player.''

Said Butler, who appears poised to make his second consecutive All-Star team: ``Everybody won. They won a championship, I'm blossoming into a star in this league, and [I've] got many years ahead of me.''