The Phoenix Suns look to be the most aggressive pursuers of Jimmy Butler, who’s currently on suspension from the Miami Heat after publicly requesting a trade. The Heat will likely send Butler to whichever team offers them the best return. The Suns want Butler but don’t have the assets to make a deal happen, especially because they have to include Bradley Beal in a trade, someone the Heat don’t have an interest in.
The only way for the Suns to execute a Butler trade will be if Beal is sent to a third team that values his skill set and sends rotational players to the Heat to keep them competitive. The Detroit Pistons lost Jaden Ivey for the season with an injury, so they could take a low-risk short-term flier on Beal as they hope to return to the Playoffs.
Trade Details
Phoenix Suns Receive: Jimmy Butler ($48.7 Million), Simone Fontecchio ($7.6 Million)
Miami Heat Receive: Tobias Harris ($25.3 Million), Tim Hardaway Jr. ($16.1 Million), Josh Okogie ($8.2 Million)
Detroit Pistons Receive: Bradley Beal ($50.2 Million), Alec Burks ($2.0 Million), 2026 Second-Round Pick (DEN), 2031 Second-Round Pick (PHX)
The Pistons need a scoring complement to Cade Cunningham in the backcourt, with the veteran presence of Beal being ideal for the franchise. The Heat land three rotational players to keep them competitive for the season while the Suns finally land the star player they wanted alongside a frontcourt shooter to boost their depth.
The Suns Get The Complementary Third Star
The Suns have built their roster in a way where they were always going to be at the mercy of their big three. They’ve allocated so many resources to their trio of Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant that they’ve had to get creative to fill their roster out. Despite the constraints, they’ve done a decent job of putting together a Playoff roster, but the inherent flaws in the triple-offense star duo hold them back.
Jimmy Butler doesn’t require as high a usage as Beal to be effective offensively. He’s averaging 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in a down year but provides a superior defense in almost every category. He’s more aggressive on the perimeter, can effectively switch and guard multiple positions, and has the size of a natural forward instead of an out-of-position one like Beal this season.
Fontecchio is averaging 6.5 points this season, providing solid shooting if he is expected to be a contributor. Importantly, the Suns add Butler who can be a definite tertiary option on offense behind Durant and Booker while still being impactful as an off-ball screener and on-ball playmaking option.
The Heat Add Depth For The Outgoing Butler
Any hopes of significant draft compensation for the Heat went out the window when Butler publicly demanded a trade. He was already a distressed asset with the option of entering free agency this summer but that has greatly amplified since his trade request. The Heat need to maximize whatever salaries they can get in return for Butler, as they need to be all rotational players,
Tobias Harris is averaging 13.4 points and 6.6 rebounds this season for the Pistons. He fell short in a starring role before on the Philadelphia 76ers but would be a great frontcourt offensive option next to Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 10.5 points and would be a potential bench spark plug or corner option.
Josh Okogie has been decent for the Suns, averaging 6.5 points and 3.1 rebounds. He’s an offensively inconsistent 3-and-D option, but his defensive effort is unquestionable. The Heat like players of his mold and he can find great success as a backup wing behind the likes of Jaime Jaquez Jar. on the Heat, potentially even helping the sophomore forward expand his game.
The Pistons Get Ready For The Playoffs
With an 18-18 record this season, there’s almost no reason for the Pistons to not push for their first postseason appearance since 2019. The franchise is looking great this season with Cade Cunningham taking an All-Star leap. Unfortunately, they lost the team’s second highest-scorer Jaden Ivey to a horrific leg injury which will rule him out for the entirety of the 2024-25 season.
Instead of giving up on a top-six berth in the East without Ivey’s offensive talent in the backcourt, the Pistons can seemingly land a short-term upgrade with Beal. He’s averaging 18.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists as a third option behind Durant and Booker this season, proving his effectiveness despite the fewer bursts we get to see in his games now.
Beal would give the Pistons a certified end-of-game option without over-relying on Cunningham to get them out of tough spots. This is a destination Beal could agree to given their competitive future outlook and the role which will be available for him. The Pistons have the salary space to accommodate Beal for now, with the Pistons having enough growth time left for Beal’s contract to expire.
Everyone Wins?
This deal sees the Suns land Butler, the one trade target they really want this winter. They do it for a reasonable price, even getting rid of Bradley Beal’s contract to a third team without making it the Heat’s responsibility. This gives them a genuine chance to compete in the West with a more compatible big three featuring one scoring guard, one wing scorer, and a do-it-all forward to tie them together.
The Heat land multiple win-now players who come into their franchise as veterans who know what needs to be done to win. While not one of these players can replicate Butler’s overall production, they can replace him in the aggregate with their overall impact on the team’s rotation.
Finally, the Pistons get a solution for their weak offense. They’ve struggled to outscore teams this year and lost one of their best perimeter scoring options to a season-ending injury. Adding Beal allows them to continue the momentum they’ve had this season and parlay it into a potential Playoff appearance.
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