The Jimmy Butler saga rolls on—it’s time for the Suns to pull the trigger
On Thursday night, there was another update on the Jimmy Butler situation. From what we’re hearing, Butler is ready to jump ship from the Miami Heat to the Phoenix Suns. But why would the Heat want to part ways with Butler just to acquire Beal? Who knows? That’s not the Suns’ problem. In the NBA, if a player wants out and has a preferred destination, they usually get what they want, especially someone of Butler’s caliber.
FLEX BOMB https://t.co/XtWTkoBUkn
— Brendan (@BrendanSuns) December 21, 2024
On the human side, maybe the trade is being held up because Suns owner Mat Ishbia made bold moves to bring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to Phoenix and wants to see it through before making another big shake-up. Plus, promising to take care of Beal and his family could also factor in.
Then again, Ishbia didn’t hesitate to trade beloved Suns players Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson to land Durant. So if adding Butler improves the roster, what’s the hold-up?
John Gambadoro confirmed that things will take time, but do the Suns really have that luxury?
With that being said I will continue to say Butler wants to come to Phoenix and I believe the Suns like him. But nothing is imminent and I expect this will play out over the next few weeks. https://t.co/daVktrpAWX
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) December 20, 2024
Thursday night’s loss to the Pacers made one thing clear: this Suns team has lost its spark. I was at the game, and even the fans didn’t have the energy to boo as they filed out with six minutes still on the clock. Once the Pacers stretched their lead to 18 points in the third, the outcome felt inevitable—just like last season.
Even with Devin Booker exiting midway through the third, the Suns should have had enough firepower to handle a sub-.500 Eastern Conference team. Instead, the body language from Bradley Beal said it all: he looked completely checked out.
It reminded me of last year when Kevin Durant’s frustration became palpable—it’s the same energy now.
For the future of this team, changes need to happen, and they need to happen fast.
If the Suns have a shot to bring Butler here, they can’t afford to wait another month to see how this team meshes—they need to pull the trigger now.
What are your thoughts knowing that the Suns might have this trade all wrapped up and ready to go but are still waiting to make the call?