The Phoenix Suns have been hard at work trying to find a way to acquire Jimmy Butler while sending Bradley Beal to some other team. They seemed to take a step closer to that direction by moving their last-remaining 2031 first-round pick for three picks from the Utah Jazz. Those picks are widely expected to be used by the franchise in the coming days to complete a deal to acquire Butler.
The Miami Heat will obviously be a party to the deal, but it seems the Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as the leading contenders to potentially land Beal and the $110+ million left on his contract over the next three seasons. Due to the Suns and Bucks being second-apron teams, a fourth team like the Toronto Raptors could get involved by moving off some of their own players to make this deal feasible for a future draft pick.
We have created a mock trade that sees all teams get what they want.
Trade Details
Phoenix Suns Receive: Jimmy Butler ($48.7 million), Chris Boucher ($10.8 million), Davion Mitchell ($6.4 million)
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Bradley Beal ($50.3 million), Monte Morris ($2.0 million), Garrett Temple ($2.0 million), 2025 First-Round Pick (MIN/CLE)
Miami Heat Receive: Khris Middleton ($31.6 million), Bobby Portis ($12.5 million), 2027 First-Round Pick (MIN/UTA/CLE)
Toronto Raptors Receive: Jusuf Nurkic ($18.1 million), Pat Connaughton ($9.4 million), 2029 First-Round Pick (MIN/UTA/CLE)
The Suns not only land Butler but exhaust all assets to also bring an offensive-minded multi-position big man like Chris Boucher to improve frontcourt depth. Davion Mitchell is an elite perimeter defender and can be a backup guard option. Simultaneously, the Bucks land another elite scorer, the Heat acquire a solid return for a disgruntled asset, and the Raptors get a pick for taking on short-term salaries.
The Suns Revamp Their Roster To Win Now
The Suns are stuck in the middle of the West without much room to move up given the roster constraints they face. They poorly built out the core around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant and are having to adjust it on the fly by digging themselves deeper into the hole of no long-term assets. However, it could be worth it if it leads to a revamp of this magnitude.
Jimmy Butler is averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season. He’s clearly not giving it his best on the court for the Heat, with hopefully his effort spiking up after he gets to his dream destination. Boucher is averaging 10.2 points and 4.4 rebounds, proving to be a versatile backup big man who can play either as a center or as a power forward.
Davion Mitchell is a ball-handling guard with elite defense. He won’t be racking up points, averaging 6.1 points and 4.5 assists this season, but will be a useful perimeter defender to have on the court alongside their high-scoring stars to absorb pressure from opposing teams.
These players will boost the Suns’ hopes of competing this season greatly, landing them an upgrade at three different positions of need. It might not be enough for a title this season itself, but it also helps the Suns go into next season in a better position than they’re in now.
The Bucks Land The Scorer They Need
For years, Khris Middleton thrived as the Bucks crunch-time scorer. As his injury issues made it harder for him to stay healthy or deliver consistently, the team acquired Damian Lillard to be the primary perimeter scoring option. Middleton’s continued injury troubles mean the team might have no choice but to move on from him to salvage what they can from the Giannis Antetokounmpo era.
Bradley Beal might be having a bad season, averaging 17.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, but he can still provide more on the court than Middleton. His contract isn’t commensurate to his production, but it would give the Bucks a great offensive boost. It might be tricky defensively to play Beal and Lillard, but it gives them a star-scoring punch instead of Middleton that they simply can’t get elsewhere.
Getting a future pick to use will also be a big get for the Bucks, who are short-handed for future assets. The 2025 pick they received is likely going to be a late first-round pick, but it could still help the Bucks land an integral piece for the future.
The Heat Get A Decent Return
Usually, when you have a star player demand to be traded on an expiring contract, the selling team doesn’t get back much in terms of quality assets. The Heat have to be prepared for that reality but they also need to prepare to maximize what they can get. This deal sees them land two championship veterans who are positive locker-room figures while also landing them a future first-round pick.
Middleton is averaging 12.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists this season, working his way back into the Bucks rotation after injuries over the summer. Bobby Portis is averaging 13.3 points and 7.9 rebounds as a backup big man. He can play across multiple positions and would be a great shooting complement alongside Bam Adebayo in the Heat frontcourt.
The pick is a bonus considering Middleton and Portis could help them be more competitive in the short term. If Middleton is healthy, the Heat will stand a genuine chance to be a dark horse contender provided they can maximize the production from a well-rounded cast of players.
The Raptors Get Compensated For Their Role
It doesn’t seem like a team like the Raptors or anyone else will feel compelled to help these big teams in making yet another win-now deal. But when they’re getting a free first-round pick to move off players who likely wouldn’t have fetched a first on their own, it’s a massive advantage.
The Raptors agree to take on Jusuf Nurkic, who’s averaging 8.6 points and 9.2 rebounds and is currently the fourth-string center on the Suns. Alongside Nurkic joins expiring contract Pat Connaughton, who’s averaging 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in limited minutes for the Bucks this season.
The teams of both players can’t afford to pay them for their subpar production. And the Raptors might be able to take them off their hands. Connaughton serves as an expiring contract while the Suns throw in a first-round pick to incentivize not only the Nurkic cap dump but the inclusion of the aforementioned players to different franchises.
Deal That Works For All
The Suns get three rotational players to revamp their current roster. It helps them be better prepared for a title push if they can recover on the standings enough. This is multiple solid players including one sat for a franchise that’s already gone all-in on the present. There’s no point in haggling for one weak first-round pick, so they’ll likely send all they have in their control.
The Bucks upgrade Middleton’s scoring role by adding Beal, while also becoming smaller and worse defensively. Nonetheless, Middleton wasn’t defending at a high level this season due to his injuries and the team is still succeeding on the backs of Giannis and Lillard. Hopefully, Beal can provide more of a spark than Middleton has on a franchise that needs his shot creation.
The Heat land two win-now players and a pick for a player who was on his way out anyway. Finally, the Raptors land picks while keeping their salary flexibility alive for years to come.
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