Bernie Lee, the agent for Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, posted this week that ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania told him the Phoenix Suns are being looked at as a potential trade destination for his client. He vehemently criticized it.
Regarding Charania’s post about Butler being open to the Suns, Lee wrote on X, “If you don’t stop putting my name on the complete and utter (expletive) “Because I know it’s not worth the effort to admit it,” he said in X.
Despite Lee’s strong reaction, questions still remain about Butler’s future and whether his NBA career will continue in Miami or relocate to Dallas, Houston or Golden State, Charania first reported That team is said to be in Phoenix or somewhere else.
Butler’s “Who knows?” response this week when asked about his “long-term” future suggests that possibility is wide open.
But Butler has a path to land in Phoenix, starting with Bradley Beal.
First, Beal has a no-trade clause. Therefore, he would have to agree to a trade.
After that it gets pretty simple.
Despite being over the tax apron for the second time, the Suns could potentially trade Beal for Butler and a player on a veteran minimum contract, even if the deal brings more money back.
The key is to add at least a veteran player to the deal. The so-called minimum salary exception allows any team to acquire a minimum-salary player in a trade.
Butler is scheduled to be paid $48.7 million this season, while Beal is scheduled to be paid $50.2 million. Therefore, the Heat may be able to seal the deal by bringing in Josh Richardson, who is scheduled to make $3,051,153 on a veteran minimum contract this season.
Miami is above the first tax apron, but below the second, so it will need to transfer more funds. Even in this situation, teams can aggregate (or combine) their contracts into one contract, as long as they are under the second tax apron.
In this case, Miami would remain under the second tax apron.
The Suns also have roster spots available to bring in additional players via trade.
Beal’s contract is the main reason why this move is worth discussing, but Butler’s contract makes it even more interesting.
Butler, 35, has a $52.4 million player option for next season. He could decline and become a free agent.
The six-time All-Star is eligible for a four-year max contract with Miami for an estimated $243 million and a three-year max contract elsewhere for $171 million.
Therefore, Phoenix’s Butler could essentially be a rental, which fits right into Phoenix’s win-now mentality.
Remember, the Raptors acquired Kawhi Leonard in a trade with the Spurs and only had him for the 2018-19 season, but they came out of there winning their first and only NBA championship.
But beer has that no-trade clause. So in order for any deal to go through, he would have to give it up.
The three-time All-Star leaves that situation in just his second year in Phoenix, considering he moved on to compete for championships alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant after 11 seasons in Washington. That will attract attention.
The Suns are 8-2 when the big three are on the court, showing just how good they are. Beal’s ability to attack in the paint and spread the floor with his outside shooting adds to the Suns’ offensive balance.
He embraces the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s offensively good perimeter players.
However, size-wise Butler is a better fit for Phoenix as a small forward than Beal. Beal is 6-4, 207 pounds, while Butler is 6-7, 230 pounds. He is a better rebounder than Beal and can function as a playmaker.
Defensively, just being able to protect bigger wings is Butler’s quality. Additionally, he led the Heat to the NBA Finals twice. Experience like this can only help a team aiming for a championship.
Miami Beer has a five-year deal worth $251 million. The Heat would have to take that on, but he could be a serious third option behind Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
Conversely, it would free Phoenix from Beal’s mega contract that caused the Suns to cross the tax apron for the second time.
Butler has reportedly not requested a trade. Beal seems fine in Phoenix, but when the Suns and Heat come to the table to discuss trades, it will likely start with those two players.
Do you have any opinions on the current state of the Suns? Contact Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or 480-810-5518. Follow @DuaneRankin on X (formerly Twitter).
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