Report: Trade Sending Kevin Durant To Warriors, Jimmy Butler To Suns ‘Is Indeed In Play’

According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, a trade sending Jimmy Butler to the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors “is indeed in play.”

The Miami Heat would probably get Andrew Wiggins and other players, sources told Hoops Wire. 

“One reason for the significant uptick in Durant chatter, sources said, is that trading him appears to be the only way for Phoenix to acquire Miami’s Jimmy Butler before Thursday’s deadline,” Fischer and Stein wrote. “Why would the Suns want Butler if they no longer have Durant on the roster? No one asked by The Stein Line has been able to furnish a good answer to that question, but rumbles persist that a scenario that transports Butler from South Beach to the desert — with Durant moving back to the Bay Area — is indeed in play.”

Bradley Beal is not expected to waive his no-trade clause. The Suns wanted to trade Beal and acquire Butler to create a “Big 3” of Butler, Durant and Devin Booker

Now, it looks like they might trade Durant and have a “Big 3” of Beal, Booker and Butler. 

The Warriors are in hot pursuit of Durant, who helped the franchise win back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. 

One of the greatest players in NBA history, Durant is averaging 26.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season while shooting 52.4% from the field, 39.8% from beyond the arc and 82.7% from the free-throw line. The future Hall of Famer is making $51.2 million. 

Meanwhile, Butler is averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.4 blocks while shooting 54.0% from the field, 36.1% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line. He is making $48.8 million this season and has a player option worth $52.4 million for next season. 

The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday. It will be fascinating to see if Butler and Durant get traded after Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis

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