👋 GOOD MORNING
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 — Happy Wednesday! The Suns have been busy in the trade market, fueling speculation around a trade for Jimmy Butler. I’ll get to that in the main story (and don’t forget to sound off about a potential Butler trade in the poll below), but first let’s take a look at college hoops.
The Sun Devils snapped a four-game skid with a 65-57 victory over No. 23 West Virginia, emerging from one of the harder conference venues with a win over their first ranked opponent this season. ASU had an answer any time the Mountaineers put a run together, an impressive show of strong mettle as Saturday’s home date against No. 3 Iowa State looms.
The Wildcats, meanwhile, ran away from Oklahoma State in Stillwater, outscoring the Cowboys by 10 in the second half en route to their eighth win over their last nine games. Arizona now returns home for two straight before heading to Tempe on Feb. 1 for the first of two meetings against the Sun Devils. Exciting times ahead.
On to the show!
As Suns Wrap Up Road Trip, Are Bigger Moves Ahead?
It sure feels like the Suns are up to something big.
Yesterday the club announced it had swapped first-round picks with the Utah Jazz, trading their 2031 selection in exchange for conditional first-rounders in 2025, 2027 and 2029. That, of course, got the speculation wheels spinning much faster than we’ve seen in weeks past.
The trade has the look-and-feel of being the precursor to something bigger … Jimmy Butler, anyone? Such a deal will still be extremely challenging to pull off, but with rumors abound that Butler prefers Phoenix, it’s starting to look like less of a pipe dream, and more of a possibility, that the Suns pull it off.
Butler Deal Still Has Multiple Hurdles to Clear
It shouldn’t be assumed that anything is imminent, because to the contrary, it could be a while before anything materializes, if at all. Still, yesterday’s pick-swap between Phoenix and Utah has all the markings of one of those deals that’s the first in a series of moves, especially when you consider obtaining Butler will require multiple teams.
Also, Bradley Beal would almost assuredly be on his way out as well, and would have to waive a no-trade clause to make it happen. PHNX Suns reporter Gerald Bourguet outlined that earlier this month, highlighting how the math shows that current financial constraints would limit the Suns to dealing Kevin Durant, Devin Booker or Beal.
So, temper your excitement for the time being, but at worst the team has added to a draft capital cupboard that was very empty. At best, the Suns can parlay this deal into the one fans have been clamoring over for most of the season — one that includes landing the six-time All-Star, 5-time All-NBA and 5-time All-Defensive player.
Wouldn’t that be something?
Potential Trade Partners to Make the Butler Deal Happen
The biggest hangup right now would be Beal’s massive cap hit, which is $50.2 million this season, $53.7 million next season and $57.1 million in 2026-27. Butler carries a hit of $48.8 million this season and $52.4 million next year before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
That’s a lot for a team to absorb.
Bourguet also called out earlier this week that the Milwaukee Bucks may play ball in helping the deal go down, and would likely be interested in adding Beal to their roster. That said, the financial aspect alone makes it very difficult to swing this among just three teams, making a fourth — or even fifth — team a possibility. However, the additional draft capital that the Suns just acquired from the Jazz gives them some additional wiggle room, and may help act as a motivator to entice other teams to join the fold.
This one looks as complex as ever to pull off, but with additional assets to offer at this point, a lot more has become possible because of one transaction.
Can Anyone Other Than Butler Help Save the Season?
Butler’s name has been at the forefront of rumors since the beginning, but the Suns may choose to go a different route altogether. Regardless, it feels as if something is going to follow this deal, and who else from around the league would have the kind of impact that would be season saving?
That’s what it would have to be. If not, why not just go scorched earth and start a rebuild around a 28-year-old Booker? It just wouldn’t be very logical to continue down the path with an aging Durant, otherwise. Newly acquired center Nick Richards made an immediate impact in the Suns’ win over the Pistons, but Monday’s loss to the league-best Cavs also highlighted the team is far from being a contender.
Phoenix has won five of its last seven games, but still remains at .500 halfway through the regular season. The team wraps up its five-game road trip in Brooklyn tonight before returning home for three straight, where fans might be wondering if Butler is the only answer to saving an otherwise-mediocre NBA season in The Valley.
The answer to that question has yet to be determined, but everyone will have a much clearer picture — at the latest — within just a few weeks.
🧢 TIP OF THE HAT BY BRANDED BILLS
Congrats to Jayden Quaintance, who has set the mark for the most blocks by a Sun Devils freshman in the single season … and there’s still 13 games left! And he doesn’t even turn 18 until this summer! Craziness.
