The Jimmy Butler-Miami Heat feud has taken over the NBA discourse, and will probably remain so until the situation is resolved with a trade. Kendrick Perkins has now added to the furor on the Road Trippin’ podcast. He claimed that his sources have revealed the Phoenix Suns are ready to make a move for the six-time All-Star at the behest of Kevin Durant. They, apparently, have a two-year, $121 million extension waiting for him if they can close the deal.
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“It’s about relationships, and the relationship is Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant … yes, [the Suns] want him, you know why? Because Kevin Durant wants Jimmy Butler. And if he does get Jimmy Butler, which I believe he will, they’re both gonna sign contract extensions. KD is gonna sign as well,” said Perkins.
He added that the feud within Miami has proven that it’s time for Pat Riley to retire after a great career. Richard Jefferson countered that, pointing out that Butler has ended on bad terms with every team he’s ever been in.
Talking about relationships, Perkins has had a tumultuous one with Durant, his former OKC Thunder teammate. The two have gotten into a few Twitter battles and back-and-forths through the media in recent years.
Still, there’s no denying that Big Perk has a level of insight into Durant that few people in the NBA media can match. However, how this rumored trade and subsequent contract extensions would affect Devin Booker’s future in Phoenix is something he had no idea about.
Could Butler really be headed to Phoenix?
Butler and the Heat have been locked in a staring contest all season. But things escalated recently when the star forward said after a recent loss that he probably would not find his joy again if he continues to play in Miami.
That forced Riley to switch his earlier stance that Butler would not be traded. Now it seems to be only a matter of time until the disgruntled star finds a new home.
The Suns have struggled mightily after a hot start, so they make sense as a team that could be looking to make a splash. The one holdup could be Bradley Beal, who would ostensibly be part of any trade involving Butler.
Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract with the Suns, and he still has this year, next year, and a player option on his deal. Cumulatively, those three years pay him over $160 million, which could force the Heat and Suns to bring in a third team to make a deal work.
Beal played his college ball at Florida. So a trade to Miami would be a homecoming of sorts. It would also be a fresh start for him since he was recently moved to the bench after the Suns head coach, Mike Budenholzer, tried to shake things up.
As of yesterday though, Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN that they hadn’t yet discussed the possibility of him waiving his no-trade clause.
Butler, meanwhile, is in the middle of serving a seven-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if this deal came together quickly. As long as Beal agreed to waive his no-trade, of course.
