NBA rumors: Bradley Beal-to-Bucks in Jimmy Butler trade buzz gets louder
Yesterday at 11:54 AM
Jimmy Butler has made his intentions clear about leaving the Miami Heat, but with his nearly $50 million pricetag, it is anything but easy to facilitate a trade for Butler. The one team that can do so, though, is the Phoenix Suns, who have seemingly been trying to trade Bradley Beal in exchange for Butler. That hasn’t worked out so far, reportedly because of Miami’s disinterest, but the Milwaukee Bucks’ involvement may end up sealing the deal.
Per reports, the Heat have prioritized cap flexibility in their trade talks involving Butler, who is making $48.8 million this year and, if he picks up his player option in June, would earn $52.4 million. Whether Butler would truly decline the option, especially if teams are unable or unwilling to offer him a lucrative long-term deal, remains to be seen.
Remaining flexible with their cap space would likely mean the Heat don’t want to acquire Beal from the Suns, as Beal makes $50.2 million this year, $53.7 million next season, and $57.1 million in 2026-27, provided he picks up a player option on the latter. Additionally, even if Miami was interested, Beal has to be too because he holds a no-trade clause, a rarity among NBA players that allows him to veto any potential trade involving himself.
It seems, though, that Milwaukee may be interested in acquiring Beal as part of a multi-team trade. They would just have to make at least one move in order to do that.
“One scenario, that two different league sources told @ClutchPoints about, involves Butler going to PHX and MIL moving out of the second apron by moving Connaughton to TOR,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “This then turns into Bruce Brown/Khris Middleton to MIA, Beal/Love to MIL, Portis/Connaughton to TOR. Draft picks would obviously be going to MIA and TOR.”
One scenario, that two different league sources told @ClutchPoints about, involves Butler going to PHX and MIL moving out of the second apron by moving Connaughton to TOR.
This then turns into Bruce Brown/Khris Middleton to MIA, Beal/Love to MIL, Portis/Connaughton to TOR.… https://t.co/00HVKl1Uov
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) January 22, 2025
The Athletic reported today, though, that while the Bucks are “worth monitoring” as the potential third team in a Butler-to-Suns trade, Beal and Phoenix have yet to talk about him waiving his no-trade clause. Additionally, moving Middleton would also likely be a hard decision to make for Milwaukee considering Middleton’s relationship with star Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as his contributions to the team, including being a key part of the Bucks’ 2021 NBA Championship run.
If the Bucks opt to stand pat, or Beal decides not to waive his no-trade clause, it is unknown exactly what will happen with Butler, if anything. Phoenix will not have the cap space to sign Butler to any contract he is desiring in the offseason as a free agent, making the next few weeks before the Feb. 6 trade deadline all that more important.
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