Jimmy Butler‘s situation with the Miami Heat has given the Phoenix Suns a chance to pursue the disgruntled star in the 2024-25 NBA season. On Thursday, after the Heat’s 128-115 loss against the Indiana Pacers, it was revealed by ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst that Butler requested a trade.
Before the six-time All-Star could make his intentions known, he was already part of numerous trade rumors. Teams like the Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets have been linked to Butler.
The Suns are the team most interested in making a trade for the Heat star, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein on Sunday. However, Stein reported that the Arizona team might find it difficult to get a team to get a third team to acquire Bradley Beal.
“Phoenix is widely regarded as the team most interested in trading for Butler & definitely makes sense as a Butler destination from at least one perspective: Owner Mat Ishbia is believed to be as willing to sign the 35-year-old to a lucrative new contract as anyone you’ll find,” Stein said.
“The Suns, though, will clearly need to find a third team willing to take on Beal’s contract (which owes him $110 million over the next two seasons) to have any shot at actually trading for Butler …in addition to Beal’s willingness to waive his no-trade clause.”
“Phoenix is widely regarded as the team most interested in trading for Butler & definitely makes sense as a Butler destination from at least one perspective: Owner Mat Ishbia is believed to be as willing to sign the 35-year-old to a lucrative new contract as anyone you'll find.” https://t.co/wGUTQ6k5ob pic.twitter.com/hGcrqzfTbH
— Dru (@dru_star) January 5, 2025
The Suns have no assets they can use to trade for Butler. The only way they could execute a trade would be to include the three-time All-Star in the package.
The Brooklyn Nets could be the third team for the Suns to acquire Butler
Beal listed the Heat as his top trade target when he was still with the Washington Wizards. However, Miami didn’t want the All-Star guard at that time. Given the shooting guard’s performance and handling of ailments during the previous two seasons, the same may be said this time.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie suggested a potential third team that could absorb Beal’s contract. He named the Brooklyn Nets as the potential trade destination for the Suns guard, sending Ben Simmons to the Heat.
“The question for the Heat becomes whether they could flip [Bradley] Beal to a third team…Would Beal really agree to go to Brooklyn if (hypothetically) the Nets agreed to flip the Ben Simmons contract to Miami for Beal? Would Beal want to go to Toronto? Or Detroit?” Vecenie wrote.
“The question for the Heat becomes whether they could flip [Bradley] Beal to a third team…Would Beal really agree to go to Brooklyn if (hypothetically) the Nets agreed to flip the Ben Simmons contract to Miami for Beal? Would Beal want to go to Toronto? Or Detroit?” @Sam_Vecenie https://t.co/3xSUg5uqii pic.twitter.com/Zxkib8HfJD
— Dru (@dru_star) January 6, 2025
Phoenix is struggling this season with a 15-18 record and a change sending Butler to the team might solve their issues.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
