We are officially less than 72 hours until the Feb. 6 trade deadline. And after a weekend of league-shaking trades with Luka Doncic heading to the Lakers and De’Aaron Fox headed to San Antonio, the Miami Heat are still trying to navigate Jimmy Butler’s situation.
The latest update was that ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported Sunday evening that Butler won’t re-sign with Golden State after this season, cooling trade talks. All signs, once again, point to “Phoenix or bust!” for the 35-year-old disgruntled star.
The most likely way a trade involved Butler heading to Phoenix includes Bradley Beal, who owns a no-trade clause, thus having the most control regarding his and Butler’s future.
Though according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, while it remains very unlikely, the team is listening to offers for Kevin Durant.
“Phoenix, entering Monday’s business, continued to signal that it does not plan to move Durant before the deadline, sources said, but the Suns are believed to be listening at the very least to various teams’ pitches for the 35-year-old scoring legend,” Fischer wrote. “Durant, meanwhile, is said to be aware of all this.
“The Suns, mind you, are expected to maintain a very high asking price before they ever agreed to part ways with him. We’re talking serious draft capital and highly rated young talent.”
Could Heat explore Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler swap?
While Durant doesn’t own a no-trade clause, the Heat to complete a deal with those demands is still incredibly complicated unless he demands Miami, which hasn’t been done at the time of this publishing.
The only two-team deal that works would be Butler plus Josh Richardson plus picks–the Heat only have one tradable first-round pick in 2030 plus swaps in 2029 and 2031–for Durant. Phoenix may want Butler, but Phoenix entertain that over, especially if it’s trading Durant.
Thus, they would have to find at least one other team to help facilitate. That doesn’t mean the Heat wouldn’t throw in any of its best young players–Nikola Jovic, Kel’el Ware or Jaime Jaquez Jr.–but that third- or fourth-team would have to be incentivized to help trade young players or draft capital without receiving Butler or Durant.
It’s not impossible, but it’s also not likely.
According to Sam Amick, Eric Nehm and Fred Katz of The Athletic, Beal would be willing to waive the no-trade clause for certain teams, but “the list is not long.”
“He would need to go to a winning team that is also in an appealing city,” their report read. “Cold weather has never been his favorite, though he would make exceptions if the basketball situation were appealing enough.
“His first priority is his family, according to a source familiar with his thinking. Beal, his wife and two kids moved from Washington to Los Angeles and then full-time to Phoenix all in the past couple of years. A trade would mean either uprooting his two sons once again or leaving them to play elsewhere.”
According to Suns reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 Phoenix, multiple teams have called for Durant, including the Warriors, where Durant called home for three seasons (2016-19). But they are still focusing on a Butler deal involving Beal and other “smaller deals” if Miami won’t budge.
We’ll see what happens. After all, crazier deals–such as Doncic’s blockbuster–have occurred. Can Pat Riley and the Heat front office work some magic?
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Booker for Jimmy lol
KD looks like more valuable to Suns than Book right now
No way Durant will be traded to Miami. There are far too many teams with young players and assets out there who have more to offer than Miami.
ware jovic for kd i would never do that.kds long skiiny legs not much tread left on those sun.how bout jimmy to phily for maybe oubre
and another contract filler.joel and kyle love jim
Who gives a crap what Joel and Kyle love?
At this point, I wouldn’t do Butler any favors. Personally, I would like to see him traded to Utah for Collins and Sexton. It will clear $45M+ off Utah’s books next year since there is no way in hell Butler opts in unless he knows he can work out a sign & trade to another team. In that case, Ainge can probably squeeze some young talent and draft picks out of a contending team.
It’s not the same deal with Durant. Having to give up more than Jimmy should give us pause, especially because Ware’s name is mentioned. Realistically, all these ideas could be grasping at straws as time slip slides away.
i wouldnt give up ware for kd straight up.maybe throw in a duncan donut with a butler