NBA Trade Rumors: If the Phoenix Suns have to, there could be a plan b already in place for the team heading into the NBA Trade Deadline.
If the Phoenix Suns had it their way, by this time next week (the NBA Trade Deadline, which is set for February 6) they'll be finalizing a trade for Jimmy Butler. But, of course, that's far from a guarantee. There are still clear hurdles that need to be crossed before the Suns can even think about the possibility of landing Jimmy Butler, with most of them revolving around finding a landing spot for Bradley Beal.
At this point, there's a strong chance that the Suns will need to pivot to a plan b if there isn't any movement on the Beal front. Time is running out for Phoenix and they may not have the luxury of waiting much longer to pull the trigger on a deal. According to a recent report, a plan b for the Suns could include shopping Jusuf Nurkic and draft compensation across the league in search of a difference-making rotation player.
The clock is ticking on the Phoenix Suns
One week out from the trade deadline, the Suns don't have a ton of time to figure out what's next for the team. Again, without the certainty that they'll be able to find a landing spot for Beal, there's a good chance that the idea of trading for Jimmy is nothing more than a pipe dream. It would be smart for the Suns to already be thinking about some plan b's. However, that could be considered easier said than done.
Finding the right target at the deadline to help this team down the stretch could prove to be a difficult task - especially when all you have as trade bait is Nurkic and late first-round picks. But if there's one thing that is certain, it's the fact that the Suns almost certainly have to make some sort of deal before the trade deadline. This is not a team that can afford to stand pat. The move for Nick Richards has already paid some dividends. Even if the Suns aren't able to land Jimmy, there's reason to believe that another smaller-level move could make a difference for the team heading into the stretch run.
There are several intriguing options that could be on the table for the Suns heading into the trade deadline. At least for now, it's impossible to predict how it will all shake out for the Suns. However, I feel pretty confident in saying that the Suns will make at least one more move before the deadline. The question is, will it be one headlined by Jimmy or not?