Jimmy Butler trade rumors

[ShelC]

I don't think there are any trades, including a Jimmy trade, that gets us closer to contention. I've said less is more with this team and I do like how KD and Book are playing lately. They should be enough offensively to where we don't need a "Big 3". They need their shots and adding another dominant scorer will affect their rhythm. If the roleplayers can keep up their end and the defense can improve, we may actually have a roster that's good enough to scare people in the playoffs. Richards is more than decent but we still need another big body who can play with KD.

[Split T]

You don’t think Jimmy gets us any closer at all? I think calling Jimmy a dominant scorer is miscategorizing him. I think he’ll happily be a 3rd wheel and play a facilitator role while being a better defensive fit. Beal has tried to play that role but just doesn’t have the size or skills to do it.

This isn’t to say I think Jimmy makes us favorites or anything, but I think he certainly makes us better. I mean Beal gave us almost nothing last night…this team is like 9-1 or something when KD and Book play with Beal out. I think Jimmy fills a lot of holes…and if you can also add one more big man, I think you’re cooking. You’ve at least given yourself a shot. I don’t think the current team wins more than 2 playoff games.

[Superbone]

Achieving zen is realizing that we actually play pretty well as a team now that Beal comes off the bench. We don't need Jimmy Butler. He doesn't make us a contender, and we are fine as a low-tier playoff team without him.

I have zero interest in being a low tier playoff team. Jimmy is likely the only move that gives us a semblance of a chance…no moves means we will lose in the play-in or 1st round. I’d much rather move KD for our 2025 and 2027 picks back and a couple lesser prospects(The Amen Thompson dream is over) than have round 1 be our ceiling.

Keep fighting the futile fight! Ishbia ain't doing that like I keep telling you.

[Superbone]

We might be stuck with Beal, but there are other moves we can make

It's not the worst thing in the world. He's been much better for us off the bench.

[Split T]

Achieving zen is realizing that we actually play pretty well as a team now that Beal comes off the bench. We don't need Jimmy Butler. He doesn't make us a contender, and we are fine as a low-tier playoff team without him.

I have zero interest in being a low tier playoff team. Jimmy is likely the only move that gives us a semblance of a chance…no moves means we will lose in the play-in or 1st round. I’d much rather move KD for our 2025 and 2027 picks back and a couple lesser prospects(The Amen Thompson dream is over) than have round 1 be our ceiling.

Keep fighting the futile fight! Ishbia ain't doing that like I keep telling you.

Ya I know, it’s just wishful thinking…and mostly to say that since we aren’t blowing it up we might as well go all in.

[Split T]

We might be stuck with Beal, but there are other moves we can make

It's not the worst thing in the world. He's been much better for us off the bench.

Sure…I mean I like Beal(he’s still my avi), I just think that’s setting up for a play-in loss or a quick 1st round exit. There’s other things we could do…It’s probably not a real option, but I’d call about that Avdija/Reath combo.

I wanted to move Grayson if we didn’t move Beal, but I’m starting to think that would be a mistake. Unless we get a lot for Grayson I think we need to keep him. He’s been fantastic. We could look at moving Royce, but we’d need to get another wing back.

I think attaching a pick or 2 to Nurk to try and get another big wing and/or true big would be smart. If say Milwaukee ends up with Butler, I’d gladly jump in to take Portis for Nurk and a 1st.

It just gets risky…because if you send out multiple 1sts for bench players, you are just making the future bleak while only marginally improving the team. Nurk and 1 1st for whatever we can get would probably be my move…unless we can get a young difference maker with potential.

[ShelC]

I don't think Jimmy gets us any closer and if he does, it's marginal. Then you're on the hook for Jimmy for the next 2-3 years or whatever the extension is for just marginal improvement. I think he's another main guy who needs the ball in his hands to be most effective, which takes away from Book and KD. We're going to ask him to stand in the corner and play defense because you can't balance out all 3 scorers/ball dominant guys. And having him out there for 35 minutes a night then takes away from Allen, Royce and Dunn. It affects their rhythm and roles just as much.

Beal gave us almost nothing and it was maybe our best win of the year because Allen and Royce stepped up, Plumlee filled in for Richards and Tyus was an effective shooter/scorer. They all played well off of KD and Book. There's balance there. The idea that you need this top heavy roster with 3 stars is outdated IMO.

[Wally_West]

I’m gonna call my shot here and say Jimmy ends up here by the deadline. It’s mostly based on a gut feeling than logic haha.


But all this talk about how it’s unlikely for us reeks of the Woj KD trade talk drama. When the KD trade stuff first came up, it was clear KD only wanted phoenix, but Woj kept talking about it’s unlikely, Boston and Miami are in the mix, the raptors lol. Then the trade deadline came around, Woj kept saying Nets not interested it trading KD but if they did, it Definitely wasn’t gonna be Phoenix lol then the shit happened.

We can’t find a team for Beal? Beal isn’t going to waive his NTC?
…I just kinda Don’t believe it. I don’t think we would be pursuing for this long if we didn’t already have a team in mind or we weren’t sure he wouldn’t waive his ntc. Look at Beal, he’s clearly checked out, clearly not enjoying himself, we just benched him. I’m supposed to believe he wants to be here still? Nah. That dude is ready to leave. Especially after the wife heckling.

I think it all comes down to compensation. Gambo said we have a limit, basically said we are unwilling to include all 3 picks or Dunn in any Jimmy deal. It’s clear everyone wants to take advantage of us in regards to our picks. We’ll see. I’m calling it now that we will get him. The gut knows all.

[Superbone]

Look at Beal, he’s clearly checked out, clearly not enjoying himself, we just benched him. I’m supposed to believe he wants to be here still? Nah. That dude is ready to leave. Especially after the wife heckling.

I don't see that. He looks happy to me. And rumor is the Suns hired that heckler to try and drive Beal out of town. (I kid.)

[Kryptonic]

I’m gonna call my shot here and say Jimmy ends up here by the deadline. It’s mostly based on a gut feeling than logic haha.


But all this talk about how it’s unlikely for us reeks of the Woj KD trade talk drama. When the KD trade stuff first came up, it was clear KD only wanted phoenix, but Woj kept talking about it’s unlikely, Boston and Miami are in the mix, the raptors lol. Then the trade deadline came around, Woj kept saying Nets not interested it trading KD but if they did, it Definitely wasn’t gonna be Phoenix lol then the shit happened.

We can’t find a team for Beal? Beal isn’t going to waive his NTC?
…I just kinda Don’t believe it. I don’t think we would be pursuing for this long if we didn’t already have a team in mind or we weren’t sure he wouldn’t waive his ntc. Look at Beal, he’s clearly checked out, clearly not enjoying himself, we just benched him. I’m supposed to believe he wants to be here still? Nah. That dude is ready to leave. Especially after the wife heckling.

I think it all comes down to compensation. Gambo said we have a limit, basically said we are unwilling to include all 3 picks or Dunn in any Jimmy deal. It’s clear everyone wants to take advantage of us in regards to our picks. We’ll see. I’m calling it now that we will get him. The gut knows all.

Will the great swami be right again?

[ShelC]

I always say where there's smoke there's fire. Deals usually get done and usually take longer than when they're first reported. Stars usually get their way.

The reason I won't compare this to the KD deal is because Beal really is a tough contract to move. It's not sending Mikal, Cam and picks over in a deal - which were all attractive pieces in a deal for a star. Jones also probably wasn't going to budge in negotiations and might've waited until the offseason to make that deal until Ishbia pushed for it. You also have the cap rules making it extremely tough to work around. Add in the fact that the Heat can be tough to deal with and seemingly don't want specific contracts/money messing with their future capspace and it gets even tougher. Also remember that Dame's preference was a trade to Miami, his agent sent memos around telling teams not to bother talking to the Blazers and that Dame wouldn't report to training camp unless he was sent to Miami...and he ended up in Milwaukee.

[Split T]

I don't think Jimmy gets us any closer and if he does, it's marginal. Then you're on the hook for Jimmy for the next 2-3 years or whatever the extension is for just marginal improvement. I think he's another main guy who needs the ball in his hands to be most effective, which takes away from Book and KD. We're going to ask him to stand in the corner and play defense because you can't balance out all 3 scorers/ball dominant guys. And having him out there for 35 minutes a night then takes away from Allen, Royce and Dunn. It affects their rhythm and roles just as much.

Beal gave us almost nothing and it was maybe our best win of the year because Allen and Royce stepped up, Plumlee filled in for Richards and Tyus was an effective shooter/scorer. They all played well off of KD and Book. There's balance there. The idea that you need this top heavy roster with 3 stars is outdated IMO.

But Beal is also a scorer that needs the ball…that’s the whole point, we’d be swapping him with a guy that can actually do the defensive stuff we need. He’s not messing with Royce, Grayson, or Dunn’s role…he’s just taking Beal’s role.

I also don’t think we need a top heavy roster with 3 stars, but I don’t think KD and Booker work as your top 2 stars either. But it’s not like we are sacrificing depth to get Jimmy…it’s literally a 1 for 1 trade we are talking about here.

I think we just have vastly differing opinions of Jimmy as a basketball player, which is fine.

[SunsShine]

Didn’t Gambo initially say the Suns wouldn’t trade the 2031 first unless it was for a game changer? I also seem to recall he said they wouldn’t specifically trade it for Butler. He recently said we explored about 20 different trades. Our front office clearly knows what we have just simply isn’t working, so I wonder what they have in mind.

[Wally_West]

Didn’t Gambo initially say the Suns wouldn’t trade the 2031 first unless it was for a game changer? I also seem to recall he said they wouldn’t specifically trade it for Butler. He recently said we explored about 20 different trades. Our front office clearly knows what we have just simply isn’t working, so I wonder what they have in mind.

Gambo said we never discussed ‘31 in any Jimmy deal. He did say we’d only trade it for a prized young player or for multiple assets, which we ended up doing a week later after he reported it. Hes the only I generally trust right now with info haha.

[Split T]

Ya…those national guys are all doing favors when they report stuff…I’m sure Gambo does a little of that too, but he’s proven pretty reliable in the James Jones era.

[Split T]

[Split T]

[Wally_West]

[SunsShine]

I could definitely see them holding onto the 2025 Cleveland first. Drafting late in the first round this past year sure worked in our favor. I wonder who we’re realistically targeting for Nurk and a 1st. It remains clear we could use another big and a wing with some size and athleticism who can defend. Dunn’s the only player on our roster who fits the latter.

[SunsShine]

This gives me a little bit of hope again. I guess I just have to be very skeptical of anything we hear that isn’t coming directly from Shams or Gambo.