NBA Trade Rumors: As decision day approaches, the two most likely landing spots for Jimmy Butler have been revealed.
With the February 6 NBA Trade Deadline on the horizon, one of the bigger stories that will drive the next few days is where Jimmy Butler will eventually land. He's been one of the bigger names on the trade block and you'd have to imagine that there's going to be some resolution soon. It's the worst-kept secret in the world that Jimmy wants to be traded to the Phoenix Suns but a path toward such a deal could be complicated.
Bradley Beal would have to be involved in any deal and he has arguably the worst contract in the league and has a no-trade clause tagged on top of it. If Jimmy is going to be traded to the Suns, there's a ton of work that must be done between now and the deadline. But aside from the Suns, there have been other teams that have reportedly touched base with the Heat on a potential deal for Jimmy - including the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and Golden State Warriors.
According to a recent report, though, the two most likely landing spots for Jimmy with a few days heading into the trade deadline are the Suns and Warriors. Golden State reportedly is open to trading for Jimmy once again. How interested they may be remains to be seen but they're certainly a team that would make sense as a landing spot.
What is the most likely outcome for Jimmy Butler?
Even though there are some likely outcomes for Jimmy, it's impossible to predict what exactly will happen over the next few days. There are clear obstacles to a deal for both the Suns and Warriors. And if you're the Heat, I'm not sure if either offer will have them rushing to make a deal. If that were the case, Jimmy would already have been traded.
Ultimately, I do believe the Heat will get the offers and go back to their base and they'll have to figure out how badly they want to trade Jimmy. In the end, I don't believe the Heat will have any offers they love. Because of that, the team will likely have to make lemonade out of lemons. They'll have to decide if accepting a deal is going to be worth it for them in the long run.
If I had to guess, I would imagine the Heat want to trade Jimmy ahead of the deadline. There is a level of value that will be gained by simply ending this saga. It clearly won't be an easy decision for the Heat, though. And certainly one that will send shockwaves across the rest of the league.