Suns, Heat’s Jimmy Butler Have Strong Mutual Interest: ‘I’ve Heard They Want Him Bad’

The Miami Heat are nearing the end of their six-game West Coast road trip, with two but two matchups left in Los Angeles. Of course, looming over their journey is the inevitable decision regarding the reinstatement of Jimmy Butler from suspension.

But while the Heat are focused on the present, trade talks surrounding Butler have largely stalled in recent days.

According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the trade landscape involving Butler remains mostly unchanged, despite persistent rumors.

Phoenix has long been seen as a potential suitor, and there’s strong mutual interest.

“I’ve heard they want him bad,” one league source tells Stein.

But the challenges in facilitating a deal are significant. The Suns are hampered by Bradley Beal‘s no-trade clause, which complicates matters, especially since before any move could even be made involving Beal, Miami and Phoenix need to find a third team willing to absorb Beal’s hefty contract.

In addition to that challenge, Phoenix is facing its own issues with Jusuf Nurkić, who has fallen completely out of favor. Nurkić hasn’t just been benched like Beal; he’s been a “DNP-CD” (Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision) for Phoenix’s past two games.

The Suns owe him $19.4 million for the 2025-26 season, which has made moving him just as difficult as dealing Beal.

The Suns do have some tradeable assets in the form of second-round picks, along with a 2031 first-rounder, Stein wrote, but generating serious interest in Nurkić and potentially moving him –especially to a team like Charlotte — is proving to be a tough sell.

A package centered around in-demand Hornets big man Nick Richards is on the table, but it remains unclear how many of Phoenix’s picks would be necessary to make the deal work.

With both teams facing obstacles, it’s clear that while the interest in Butler and the motivation to get something done are high, a deal remains a challenging proposition.