Back on Dec. 7, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat took on the Phoenix Suns in what appeared to be a relatively inconsequential game at first glance. After all, the season was still young at that point, and the Suns didn’t have Kevin Durant in the lineup.
However, according to Ethan J. Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports, “something happened” after the Suns visited the Heat that changed the dynamic of Butler’s situation with the Miami organization.
Of course, Butler’s name has been thrown around in trade rumors in recent weeks, with the Suns being among the teams that have been linked to the 35-year-old forward as a preferred destination for him.
Heat insider Ethan Skolnick on when things changed for Jimmy and the Heat
“The Heat thought that after a very strong training camp that Jimmy was going to play this season out, play hard. Something happened after Phoenix visited them on December 7th. Something happened.”
(Via… pic.twitter.com/P29jhKqLRf
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) January 26, 2025
It’s worth noting that the league overall supposedly doesn’t love the idea of Butler being traded to the Suns. One anonymous NBA player claimed a few days back that folks around the league are hoping it doesn’t come to fruition because of fears that Phoenix would instantly be thrust into contention.
A trio of Butler, Durant and Devin Booker would — at least on paper — provide the Suns with a great combination of scoring firepower and stingy defense, perhaps elevating them to new heights in the Western Conference.
But there are reasons to be skeptical of how Butler would fit in Phoenix. For example, Phoenix already has a talented trio, yet the Suns have not looked like a real threat to win the 2025 NBA title so far.
The Suns sit just barely above the .500 mark more than halfway through the 2024-25 regular season with a record of 23-21. Phoenix owns the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, putting the team in play-in territory as of now.
Phoenix doesn’t have much more time left to trade for Butler, as the trade deadline is slated for Feb. 6. Fans could soon get further clarity on what happened around the time of the Dec. 6 game between the Heat and Suns if Butler is dealt to Phoenix in the near future, or the situation could simply remain a mystery.
