When the initial report broke out that Jimmy Butler wanted out of Miami, the Phoenix Suns were among the preferred trade destinations. Butler would have no problem playing in Phoenix, and it seems like the Suns would welcome him with open arms.
Phoenix Suns are the Most Aggressive Team for a Jimmy Butler Trade
Brian Windhorst of ESPN appeared on SportsCenter recently to discuss the latest drama between Jimmy and the Miami Heat organization. He said,
“Over the last 36 hours, the Derby for Jimmy Butler has really opened since the Heat made that statement on Friday night. They’ve gotten a lot of calls, but the issue is that most of the offers are not that attractive to the Heat. That doesn’t surprise them because a month ago, they heard some calls on Jimmy Butler, and then they came out with that statement they weren’t going to trade him.”
As Windhorst outlined, the offers that they are getting are not something that would move the needle for Miami. He talked about how some teams are testing how low they might be able to buy Butler. At the same time, there are aggressive teams, and the one that stands out is the Suns. Brian said,
“Sort of the irony in this situation is that the best fit and most aggressive team for Jimmy Butler is maybe the one out of the 29 teams that has the hardest time getting him. That is the Phoenix Suns. The only functional way they have to get him is Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause. That would take a third or potentially a fourth team, and those deals are very hard to put together.”
Why Phoenix Cannot Trade Other Players?
The Phoenix Suns are a second-apron team. They have $216 million in salary for this year, way over the second apron. The salary cap for the current season is at $140 million, $170 for the tax level, $178 for the first apron, and $188 million for the second apron.
Teams over the second apron can only take back salary as much as they send. They also cannot send more salary than they receive. Another challenge is they cannot combine salaries. Because Jimmy has close to $49 million salary for this year, the Phoenix Suns can trade either Bradley Beal or Devin Booker for him. Booker is the franchise star, and Beal has a no-trade clause.
Suns’ Draft Capital
The only good news for Miami is that Bradley Beal has a contract that allows him to become a free agent in 2026. Yet, given his age, playing time, and injury history, it is hard to envision him throwing away a $57 million player option for 2026-27.
If the Heat trade Jimmy, they would love to get salary cap relief, but in the summer of 2026. That is the summer when Luka Doncic can potentially be a free agent. Yes, the 2027 free agent class might be great as well, with players like Karl-Anthony Towns(player option, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Giannis Antetokounmpo(player option) potentially on the market.
As for draft capital, the Suns have three second-round picks they can offer in 2026 and 2031 from Denver and their own in 2031. They also have their own first-round pick to trade in 2031. If they manage to make another trade in between, they might get more draft capital and assets.
Is Phoenix a Good Fit for Jimmy?
There is a valid reason why the Phoenix Suns are one of the most aggressive teams trying to trade for Jimmy. They have a core of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, two players who can work alongside almost any other player. KD and Book’s scoring skills would be enhanced by Butler’s ability to attack the rim and draw fouls. On the defensive end, Butler is the type of player who brings energy and motivates others to put in extra effort.
His fiery leadership would also benefit the Suns. They are a team full of veterans, and there is no ego between the big stars. They all would play for a championship.
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