Up to the year 2031, the Phoenix Suns have just two draft picks that can be traded since they mortgaged their future by shipping the rest away for players like Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and others. Not having many trade assets left, Phoenix can flip a 2025 second-round pick from Denver and its own 2031 first-round selection in a deal.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Despite this shortage of picks, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported in an article that the Suns are willing to give up one of them in their efforts to land Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler.
“Phoenix has also discussed using the one first-round pick it is still allowed to trade (2031) in various talks around trying to acquire Butler, multiple league sources told ESPN,” Windhorst wrote.
The Suns have been one of the teams who have been pursuing Butler for over a month, and are still interested in acquiring the six-time NBA All-Star. As for what would go the other way to Miami in a possible deal, Beal is said to be the player that Phoenix would include.
What makes a deal between the two sides complicated is that the Heat have no desire to do a straight Butler-for-Beal swap and Beal has a no-trade clause. Per ESPN insider Bobby Marks, he stated in an article that Miami does not want to pick up Beal’s contract in return for Butler.
“Sources told ESPN, that the Heat have no desire to take back the $110 million owed to Beal and that Phoenix would need to find a third team,” Marks said.
Beal has two more years on his contract at $50-plus million each, and has a $57.1 million player option in 2026-27. If Beal was included in any trade, he would have the control to decline or accept the deal since he has the no-trade clause in his contract.
If the Suns are willing to trade one of their two remaining draft picks, it would indicate that they are going all in for a championship and willing to face the repercussions if that result doesn’t pan out. Phoenix traded three second-round picks along with Josh Okogie to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for center Nick Richards and a second-round pick on Wednesday.
Phoenix is currently 20-20 and in the No. 10 seed, the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Unless they do find a third team to take on Beal’s contract and he waives his no-trade clause, the chances of the Suns getting Butler are low.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, ASU Athletics and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
