Where will Jimmy Butler end up? 2025 edition

[Mainstreet]

Are we really still calling Beal a “star?” He’s got the contract of a star, but he’s no star anymore.

Call him what you may, but Beal is a former All-Star and is capable of this type of play on a given night. If the Suns can't trade him, they have to hope he can be that player again.

I do think strengthening the front court takes pressure off the backcourt. Teams cheat on the Suns weakness upfront. I'd like to see what happens if opponents have to play the Suns honest.

 

[SirStefan32]

I still don't understand why the Heat would have to move him. Just let him expire and you have cap relief once he is gone. Yeah, sure, he can pick up his option and be on the payroll another year, but it's better than having a crap contract on the books for an additional year or two.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I still don't understand why the Heat would have to move him. Just let him expire and you have cap relief once he is gone. Yeah, sure, he can pick up his option and be on the payroll another year, but it's better than having a crap contract on the books for an additional year or two.

jimmy stays + doesn't play + but gets paid = win?

idk

 

[BirdGangThing]

billionaire owners don't want jimmy dictating where jimmy goes - they want the money to be in control - it's why the hate no trade clauses

but ish is a billionaire owner - would he give his fellow billionaires the proverbial billion dollar middle finger just to get jimmy butler

 

[leclerc]

That would make him good for nothing.

Badapich.

 

[Phrazbit]

jimmy stays + doesn't play + but gets paid = win?

idk

He is owed less than half of what Beal is.

So… yeah, if you’re getting nothing from either take the nothing with less money attached.

If I am Phoenix and I somehow got Butler, I wouldn’t extend him, i’d be happy just to get out from Beal’s contract.

There is no way Miami will agree to a straight up trade, there is no way to move Beal without attaching a bunch of assets.

 

[SirStefan32]

He is owed less than half of what Beal is.

So… yeah, if you’re getting nothing from either take the nothing with less money attached.

If I am Phoenix and I somehow got Butler, I wouldn’t extend him, i’d be happy just to get out from Beal’s contract.

There is no way Miami will agree to a straight up trade, there is no way to move Beal without attaching a bunch of assets.

That's exactly what I was thinking. The only problem is that he wants an extension and has a player option, which he could exercise. However, I might still wave him and have some cap space after next year. If they extend Butler and KD, it will just be two additional seasons of the exact same thing we have now.

 

[Mainstreet]

He is owed less than half of what Beal is.

So… yeah, if you’re getting nothing from either take the nothing with less money attached.

If I am Phoenix and I somehow got Butler, I wouldn’t extend him, i’d be happy just to get out from Beal’s contract.

There is no way Miami will agree to a straight up trade, there is no way to move Beal without attaching a bunch of assets.

However, if Butler didn't believe the Suns would extend him, he wouldn't be so locked into being traded here.

 

[Phrazbit]

However, if Butler didn't believe the Suns would extend him, he wouldn't so locked into being traded here.

Well, it can’t have been promised, because that would be beyond tampering.

If he pitches a fit next season and refuses to play, suspend him… don’t pay him anything, or trade him as an expiring contract.

All options better than Beal or Butler on a max extension.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well, it can’t have been promised, because that would be beyond tampering.

If he pitches a fit next season and refuses to play, suspend him… don’t pay him anything, or trade him as an expiring contract.

All options better than Beal or Butler on a max extension.

There is a reason Jimmy Butler wants to play for the Suns.

 

[BirdGangThing]

miami grows more and more desperate by the hour

 

[Hoop Head]

miami grows more and more desperate by the hour

No, they aren't. They're in the drivers seat.

 

[Ronin]

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Sources: Jimmy Butler’s camp has repeatedly told Heat he’s in shape, healthy and ready to continue his career and move past this immediately. Their messaging to Heat has been to negotiate best deal possible and once in red zone, if that team is granted permission by MIA to speak with Butler’s rep to discuss his longterm future, that dialogue would be welcomed. To date, no team has asked for permission.

 

[Covert Rain]

Well, it can’t have been promised, because that would be beyond tampering.

If he pitches a fit next season and refuses to play, suspend him… don’t pay him anything, or trade him as an expiring contract.

All options better than Beal or Butler on a max extension.

Teams leak all the time information through players and back door channels. It's no coincidence that reports from multiple outlets all said that Phoenix was willing to give him an extension. Also, Jimmy's team specifically wrote off teams that were not willing and teams he didn't want to go to that were willing. There is no way that stuff happens without backdoor communications. Tampering happens in every sport. It's a matter of getting caught. You are right from the standpoint it can't be "official" but there sure are "indications" communicated IMO.

 

[BirdGangThing]

we don't need jimmy butler - jimmy butler needs us

 

[1tinsoldier]

miami grows more and more desperate by the hour

yes, Bird, you got that right

Butler's demand is Phx. If he's not traded here, Miami has nothing. Butler burned his bridge with them.

We were also in the driver's seat with the Nets for Durant, but gave the Nets anything they wanted. Meanwhile, the Lakers had to accommodate Dallas for Luka.

 

[Covert Rain]

yes, Bird, you got that right

Butler's demand is Phx. If he's not traded here, Miami has nothing. Butler burned his bridge with them.

We were also in the driver's seat with the Nets for Durant, but gave the Nets anything they wanted. Meanwhile, the Lakers had to accommodate Dallas for Luka.

What?! We were not on the drivers seat with the Nets. The asking price was sky high from jump.

 

[Phrazbit]

What?! We were not on the drivers seat with the Nets. The asking price was sky high from jump.

Hmm… as untethered from reality as that post was, that might be the only part that was accurate. We were absolutely in the drivers seat and Ishbia caved to a horrendous trade.

 

[1tinsoldier]

What?! We were not on the drivers seat with the Nets. The asking price was sky high from jump.

you mean, the asking price was sky high, and Ishbia jumped -- on his first day on the job.

 

[Covert Rain]

you mean, the asking price was sky high, and Ishbia jumped -- on his first day on the job.

No I mean at no point were the Suns in the driver’s seat like you said.

 

[Phrazbit]

No I mean at no point were the Suns in the driver’s seat like you said.

This has been rehashed to death, but I disagree, the Suns were absolutely in the driver's seat when it came to the KD trade. The Nets had no other realistic suitors and the clock was ticking fast, it was pretty obvious Durant was never going to step foot on the court for the Nets again, and the moment Ishbia bought the team he completely caved to the Nets and agreed to an utterly ruinous trade.

We are where we are because of that moment.

 

[Covert Rain]

This has been rehashed to death, but I disagree, the Suns were absolutely in the driver's seat when it came to the KD trade. The Nets had no other realistic suitors and the clock was ticking fast, it was pretty obvious Durant was never going to step foot on the court for the Nets again, and the moment Ishbia bought the team he completely caved to the Nets and agreed to an utterly ruinous trade.

We are where we are because of that moment.

It sure has and fans love to oversimplify. The Nets fielded tons of calls about KD that established the market. That's why Joe Tsai took his time on the deal. Sure KD wanted to come here but the Nets were under no obligation to send him here. If the Suns said no? What do you think would have happened? There was no way KD wasn't still moving and for a high price.

It’s not like the Suns could have offered one pick and called it a day. I could buy maybe they could have given up one less pick or something but it was never going to be dramatically different once the Suns decided they wanted to get in on KD. I could also respect the view that they should never have gotten in on it because the price was going to be too high.

 

[Phrazbit]

It sure has and fans love to oversimplify. The Nets fielded tons of calls about KD that established the market. That's why Joe Tsai took his time on the deal. Sure KD wanted to come here but the Nets were under no obligation to send him here. If the Suns said no? What do you think would have happened? There was no way KD wasn't still moving and for a high price.

It’s not like the Suns could have offered one pick and called it a day. I could buy maybe they could have given up one less pick or something but it was never going to be dramatically different once the Suns decided they wanted to get in on KD. I could also respect the view that they should never have gotten in on it because the price was going to be too high.

No one was going to trade for Durant if he didn’t want to play for them, the only two teams in the conversation were us and Miami and our trade went well beyond what the heat could even offer.

We negotiated against ourselves and made a ruinous trade.

 

[Mainstreet]

Some speculation on a trade scenario if Kevin Durant were traded to Miami.

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[Covert Rain]

No one was going to trade for Durant if he didn’t want to play for them, the only two teams in the conversation were us and Miami and our trade went well beyond what the heat could even offer.

We negotiated against ourselves and made a ruinous trade.

If the Suns dropped out Durant would have changed his tune because the reality would have been he wasn't going there. That would have opened up other paths. There was zero chance that Durant was returning. He likely would have to have given a list of teams he wanted to go to next.