Suns Receive Positive Update from Jimmy Butler in Proposed Major Deal with Unexpected Contender for Bradley Beal. It’s widely believed that the Miami Heat are not interested in taking back Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal in a potential trade involving Jimmy Butler.
This is why most proposed deals involving the Heat’s six-time All-Star include at least three teams. While contenders like the Milwaukee Bucks are usually seen as the ideal destination for the Suns star, NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor suggests the trade could take a different turn. O’Connor reported that the Chicago Bulls might be willing to absorb Beal’s hefty contract.
“A few weeks ago, when the Butler rumors were just starting… one source mentioned that Phoenix’s main hope for moving Beal was Chicago, but I hadn’t heard anything about that since,” O’Connor said. “But as we near the deadline, the [Milwaukee] Bucks could be looking at Zach LaVine.”
O’Connor then proposed a potential five-team blockbuster involving the Heat, Suns, Bulls, Bucks, and Detroit Pistons.
“The deal might look like this: the Bucks get LaVine, the Suns get Butler, the Bulls get Beal, the Heat get Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton, and the Pistons or another team might take on Bobby Portis,” O’Connor suggested, also noting that teams would likely receive draft picks. “I think the Bulls would get something, and the Heat would definitely want something. It makes sense.”
The Heat are eager to resolve the ongoing drama surrounding Butler. Getting Middleton, Connaughton, and draft picks could be a solid return for them.
Suns Receive Positive Update from Jimmy Butler in Proposed Major Deal with Unexpected Contender for Bradley Beal.
For the Suns and Bucks, this trade would be about swapping one star for another, strengthening their championship chances. LaVine may not be as strong defensively as Middleton, but he is more consistent and offers a higher scoring output. Beal is no longer the 30-point-per-game player he once was, while Butler brings a broader skill set and a history of stepping up when needed.
