The Miami Heat remain engaged in trade talks centered on star forward Jimmy Butler and those talks continue to be “productive,” per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Butler has been linked mostly to the Phoenix Suns, though it is not known if the sides have talked at great length about such a deal.
“Butler requested a trade from the Heat earlier this month and, according to sources, has since reiterated the demand during in-person meetings with team president Pat Riley, owner Micky Arison and CEO Nick Arison,” Charania wrote. “The Suns are atop his list of preferred destinations, sources added.”
A Butler deal to Phoenix would likely need to include multiple teams and involve shooting guard Bradley Beal, who just happens to have a no-trade clause in his contract. That means Beal must approve of any trade he’s involved in.
Reports suggest Beal would be willing to do exactly in the right scenario. That said, he has two years and $111 million on his contract after this season, complicating any deal.
We already know the Heat are motivated to move Butler. The Suns may be equally as determined to trade Beal.
“For the Suns, moving their 2031 first-rounder now triples their pool of tradeable firsts from just one to three and unlocks the next six years of drafts,” Charania wrote. “They’re expected to be aggressive in upgrades for the roster between now and the trade deadline to elevate an under-performing team around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.”
The NBA trade deadline is February 6.
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