Jimmy Butler

Heat Expect Jimmy Butler To Play If He Isn’t Traded

January 6th, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat expect Jimmy Butler to resume playing after his seven-game suspension is over if he hasn’t been traded by then, a source close to the situation tells Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Management isn’t willing to let Butler stay away from the team and collect the remainder of his $48.8MM salary, Chiang adds.

Chiang’s source also says Miami has engaged in trade talks about Butler with numerous teams over the past several days, but hasn’t received an offer worth pursuing. He confirms that the Suns are among those expressing interest, but the Heat have no interest in taking on Bradley Beal because of the no-trade clause in his contract. That means a third team would have to be willing to absorb Beal’s $50.2MM salary and he would have to OK the deal.

Even though he’s suspended, Butler is able to work out at the team’s Kaseya Center facilities while the Heat are on a six-game road trip, Chiang adds. He’ll be eligible to return to the court for a January 17 home game against Denver.

Efforts to find a taker for Butler have been complicated by Miami’s desire to take back the lowest possible amount of guaranteed salary beyond this season, Marc Stein states in his latest Substack column (subscription required). That has led to pessimism about finding a deal quickly, especially with the Warriors reportedly no longer interested.

Stein also points out that missing the playoffs would be “legitimately disastrous” for the Heat, which may explain the motivation to keep playing Butler if no trade materializes. If Miami doesn’t reach the postseason, its 2026 first-round pick would be sent to Oklahoma City without any protections.

That pick was originally shipped to the Clippers in the four-team sign-and-trade deal that brought Butler to the Heat in 2019, Stein explains, and the Thunder acquired it in 2022. If the Heat reach the playoffs this season, OKC will get Miami’s 2025 first-rounder, which would fall outside the top 14. If the Heat are in the lottery, the unprotected first-rounder would convey in 2026.

Stein also points out that Miami owes a first-round pick to Charlotte from last season’s trade for Terry Rozier. Because of the Stepien rule that prevents teams from trading their first-rounders in back-to-back years, if the Oklahoma City pick conveys in 2026, the pick to the Hornets will be tied up until 2028, reducing the Heat’s flexibility moving forward.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also offers an update on Butler trade talks (video link), saying the Heat “don’t like their hand at all right now.” Sources tell Windhorst that Pat Riley‘s declaration last month that the team wasn’t interested in trading Butler came after several offers were received that were unsatisfactory. Windhorst adds that rival clubs seem to be testing Miami to see how low it is willing to sell Butler.

He notes that the only exception has been the Suns, whom he cites as the “best fit and most aggressive team” in the Butler pursuit. However, the Heat’s lack of interest in Beal is a major roadblock, and it’s very difficult to put together a three- or four-team deal under current CBA restrictions.

Windhorst still expects Butler to be traded somewhere before the deadline, but he states that Miami is operating from a position of weakness.

Suns Notes: Latest Loss, Beal, Allen, Gillespie, Butler

January 5th, 2025 at 11:35am CST by Rory Maher

Despite having Bradley Beal (hip contusion) and Grayson Allen (concussion, shoulder strain) available, the Suns lost their fourth straight game on Saturday at Indiana, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The game was tied at halftime, but the Pacers outscored Phoenix by 12 in the third quarter to break it open, eventually winning by 18 points.

“S–t, the vibes are low, man,” said Devin Booker, who finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. “We’re just have to keep fighting. It’s a blessing to even be in this position, but our output is super ugly right now. We continue to build. Hopefully later in the season, these moments right here are out the way, got past them, but right now, we’re in the thick of it.”

Even though Beal and Allen were active, the Suns were still shorthanded, with starting point guard Tyus Jones and rookie big man Oso Ighodaro late scratches due to illness. Royce O’Neale (ankle sprain) and Jusuf Nurkic (final game of his suspension) were also out.

After missing most of Tuesday’s loss to Memphis, Beal was ineffective vs. Indiana, recording just eight points (on 3-of-12 shooting), three assists and three rebounds in 33 minutes. The team was outscored by 21 points when he was on the court. Allen notched 13 points (on 5-of-10 shooting), four rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes off the bench following a five-game absence.

Here’s more on the Suns, who dropped to 15-18 on the season:

Collin Gillespie, who is on a two-way contract, was a “full participant” in Thursday’s practice and is expected to suit up for the team’s G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, “very soon,” according to Rankin. Gillespie has been sidelined since November 8 due to a right ankle fracture.
However unlikely it might be, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports examines what would need to occur for the Suns to trade for Jimmy Butler.
Following Saturday’s loss, Bourguet argued that Phoenix’s current roster isn’t good enough and trades are needed to turn the team’s season around (YouTube link).

Heat Notes: Butler, Adebayo, Rozier, Riley, Porter Jr.

January 4th, 2025 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jimmy Butler‘s standoff with the Heat is the NBA’s hottest story and has overshadowed everything else going on with the team, but Butler’s teammates will have to take the court without him beginning on Saturday vs. Utah as he begins serving his seven-game suspension. As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald relays, Bam Adebayo spoke to reporters at today’s shootaround about the awkward spot he and his teammates find themselves in.

“It’s disappointing when you see the organization and a player going head to head like that,” Adebayo said. “But the rest of us got to figure out how to win games. So for me as captain, it’s worrying about the other guys and getting them locked in and ready to go to try to compete and win a game.”

Butler has been one of the Heat’s leaders since joining the team in 2019, but his days in Miami appear numbered. He won’t play in the next seven games and may have suited up for Miami for the last time. That means the rest of the roster has to prepare to move forward without him while leaning on its other veterans for stability.

“Obviously, we still have a great opportunity, a good basketball team. So we don’t want to get caught up in all the news that’s been going around,” Terry Rozier said. “But we have a great locker room. We got guys like (Kevin Love), a vet who’s always keeping guys on their toes and making guys laugh. We got a lot of great guys in there. So we move on and we’ll find out what’s best.

“It’s tough because that’s one of your locker room guys, that’s one of your teammates,” Rozier added. “So it sucks to see that he won’t be around. But our main focus is to try to win games and control what we can control. Obviously, that’s out of our control with the guys in the locker room. But we got a lot of love for him and we wish him the best. We’re just trying to win games now.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

Team president Pat Riley may want to reconsider his trademark candor in the wake of the Butler situation, suggests Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. After the Heat were eliminated from the playoffs, Riley reacted to Butler’s claim that they could have beaten the Celtics and Knicks if he hadn’t been injured by saying it’s best to “keep your mouth shut” if you’re not able to play. Riley has become known for direct statements during his long NBA career, but Winderman says that trait may have become counterproductive in player relations.
The Heat have given Butler special treatment for years, but now they’re calling his behavior “conduct detrimental” after he became unhappy about not receiving an extension, Winderman adds in a subscriber-only story.
Excessive pride from Butler and Riley has led to the current situation, but a change is also necessary because the current Heat roster isn’t good enough to compete for a title, argues Greg Cote of The Miami Herald.
Although Butler suggested during his comments to the media on Thursday that his role and his lack of “joy” playing basketball were the reasons for his dissatisfaction, it all comes down to money, contends Chris Mannix of SI.com. According to Shams Charania of ESPN (YouTube link), Butler – who was upset about not being offered a maximum-salary extension by the Heat during the offseason – wouldn’t want to sign that extension if it were offered now. That’s a moot point, since Miami certainly doesn’t intend to put it on the table at this point, but it’s a reflection of how much the relationship has deteriorated.
Exploring possible trade scenarios involving Butler, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald states (via Twitter) that Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., who would need to be included in any deal with Denver, was flagged by the Heat “long ago” for medical reasons. Porter, who had back problems earlier in his career, has been healthier in recent years, and Jackson notes that his talent would be “enticing,” though Miami’s appetite for taking on multiyear salary is unclear.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Warriors Unlikely To Pursue Jimmy Butler Before Deadline

January 4th, 2025 at 11:06am CST by Rory Maher

Although the Warriors would love to find a second star to pair with Stephen Curry, that player is unlikely to be Jimmy Butler, team and league sources tell Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Warriors were previously identified as a team high on Butler’s list of preferred destinations, though ESPN recently reported that the 35-year-old is open to joining any team after requesting a trade from the Heat. Miami subsequently suspended Butler for seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Miami prefers to trade Butler “as soon as possible,” and his time with the Heat has almost certainly come to an end.

However, Golden State is not currently viewed as a viable landing spot for the five-time All-Defensive forward, and there have been “no substantive talks or traction” on a possible trade between the Warriors and Heat, a source close to Butler tells The Athletic.

As The Athletic’s authors explain, there are several complicating factors in a potential deal. For starters, Butler’s rift with the Heat centered on his desire to receive a maximum-salary extension, which Miami showed no interest in offering. A Butler extension is also unappealing to the Warriors, according to The Athletic.

Butler’s age, injury history, and another messy impending divorce with his current club are more reasons a trade is unlikely. But his contract makes a deal an “untenable option,” per The Athletic’s trio.

To match Butler’s incoming $48.8MM cap hit, Golden State would have to combine multiple salaries, starting with either Draymond Green ($24.1MM) or Andrew Wiggins ($26.3MM), with the latter considered more likely. However, Wiggins has had a bounce-back season and is popular within the organization. The Warriors prefer to keep him alongside Curry and Green.

Jonathan Kuminga has been floated as a possible candidate to be moved alongside Wiggins for Butler. While the impending restricted free agent isn’t untouchable in trade talks ahead of the February 6 deadline, the Warriors aren’t interested in moving their two best wings for Butler, according to The Athletic.

Here are a few more Warriors rumors from Slater, Thompson and Amick:

A deal for a maximum-salary player like Butler seems unlikely, but the Warriors have expressed interest in players on mid-sized contracts. They already pulled off a trade for such a player in Dennis Schröder, whose $13MM expiring contract could be aggregated in another deal starting on Feb. 5.
Cameron Johnson would seem to be a good fit for Golden State, but the Nets have a high asking price for the sharpshooting forward. The Kings and Thunder are believed to be showing more interest in Johnson than the Warriors at the moment, per The Athletic.
Team and league sources tell The Athletic that Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is viewed as an attractive trade option due to his ability to space the floor and the fact that he likely won’t cost as much to acquire. As the authors note, Golden State has multiple ways to match Vucevic’s $20MM cap hit without exceeding the first tax apron, which is the team’s hard cap. One example provided is Gary Payton II, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters and unknown draft capital.

Shams: Heat Want To Trade Jimmy Butler “As Soon As Possible”

January 4th, 2025 at 9:35am CST by Rory Maher

In an appearance on SportsCenter late Friday night (YouTube link), Shams Charania of ESPN gave the latest update on Jimmy Butler‘s situation in Miami, stating that the Heat would prefer to trade the six-time All-Star “as soon as possible.”

The Heat recently suspended Butler for seven games, but the duration was largely irrelevant, as no one actually expects him to play another game for Miami, according to Charania.

“This is a clear-cut end to the Butler-Heat relationship,” Charania said. “And as stunning as the seven-game suspension was around the league, more than anything this was an avenue for the Heat to keep Jimmy Butler away from the team over these next couple of weeks. The situation around the Heat with Jimmy Butler there had become unmanageable.

“ … From my understanding, the goal right now is to move Butler as soon as possible. And I’m told the Heat have spoken with teams as of Friday about Butler trades and they will continue to engage with teams. … Just eight days ago, (president) Pat Riley came out and said ‘we are not trading Jimmy Butler.’ Now, the Heat are fully open for business, and the writing is officially on the wall for Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.”

One trade package that might appeal to the Heat would be a “relatively inexpensive good player” — whether on an expiring or multiyear contract — plus other expiring deals to match salaries with Butler’s $48.8MM outgoing cap hit, per Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Getting another star player in return for Butler would be “very appealing” to the Heat, but Jackson acknowledges that will be a challenge.

Although Charania reported that Miami would like to move the five-time All-NBA forward as soon it can, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald hears a potential trade will be determined by the types of offers the team receives, and the Heat aren’t necessarily in a rush to deal Butler (Twitter link).

Butler, 35, has averaged 17.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game in 22 appearances this season (30.8 MPG). His shooting slash line is .552/.375/.788.

Atlantic Notes: Barrett, Quickley, Towns, Butler

January 3rd, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Raptors‘ anticipated starting five heading into the 2024/25 season has yet to play a game together. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), forward RJ Barrett was originally listed as questionable to suit up against the Magic on Friday due to an illness — had he played, it would have marked the first time Toronto’s starters were all available.

Barrett was eventually ruled out against Orlando, per Murphy (via Twitter). Ochai Agbaji started in his stead, scoring 15 points in the 106-97 loss. The team fell to 8-27 on the season and dropped its ninth game among its last 10.

The next opportunity for the Raptors to field all of their first five will be in a Monday matchup with the 17-15 Bucks.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

On New Year’s Day against the Nets, Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley made his first return to action after a 22-game absence. His comeback from a partially torn UCL in his left elbow could open up the offense of All-Star forward Scottie Barnes, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, who opines that Quickley’s abilities as a play-maker and distributor should help Barnes as a scorer. “It was amazing,” Barnes said of Quickley’s return. “ Something that we really missed, and we needed. His play-making ability, his ability to get to the paint, his shooting, all that, we needed it.”
Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns is thriving during his second stint with head coach Tom Thibodeau. Towns believes the two-time Coach of the Year has greatly altered his approach in New York, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Towns notes that Thibodeau is now “a different man” and far more mellow. “I like this version going into 2025,” Towns said. Thibodeau previously coached Towns from 2016-19 on the Timberwolves. Towns and fellow All-Star Jalen Brunson have clicked incredibly well together on offense, a new point of emphasis for Thibodeau. All told, New York is 24-11 on the year, good for the East’s No. 3 seed. “I’ve grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota,” Towns said of Thibodeau. “He’s grown. I think that we’re just, in this game of life, we’re just finding ourselves and getting better all the time.”
The Sixers explored a potential trade to reacquire embattled Heat All-Star forward Jimmy Butler during this past offseason, notes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Seven-time All-Star Philadelphia center Joel Embiid had been pushing for a reunion with Butler, alongside whom he played for part of the 2018/19 season. The five-time All-NBA swingman departed for Miami in free agency. Prior to the team’s signing of Paul George, Butler had been known to be on the Sixers’ list of potential summer targets, but the Heat weren’t really considering moving him during the offseason. Now, Butler’s relationship with Miami has soured to the point that the Heat have suspended him for seven games and have indicated they are amenable to a trade.

Heat Suspend Jimmy Butler Seven Games

January 3rd, 2025 at 9:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

9:19PM: The NBPA has issued a statement (Twitter link) criticizing Butler’s suspension, and confirming that it intends to file a grievance.

“The seven-game suspension imposed tonight by the Miami Heat on Jimmy Butler is excessive and inappropriate, and we intend to file a grievance challenging the discipline,” the NBPA declared.

7:20 pm: The National Basketball Players Association intends to file a grievance to contest the Heat’s decision to suspend Butler for seven games, sources inform Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (via Twitter).

Due to how long it takes for the grievance process to play out, it will likely not prevent Butler from missing any of these games, but there’s a chance he could retroactively recoup some salary.

6:11 pm: The Heat have announced that they have suspended six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler for seven games as he continues to agitate for a trade (Twitter link).

“We have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games for multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks,” the team said in its statement.

“Through his actions and statements, he has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team. Jimmy Butler and his representative have indicated that they wish to be traded, therefore, we will listen to offers.”

On Thursday, word broke that Butler had let Miami know he wants to be traded and that he’s open to being sent to any team. This news arrived on the heels of an initial report on Christmas that Butler preferred a trade but hadn’t explicitly asked for one.

Team president Pat Riley announced just eight days ago that the Heat had zero intention of trading Butler this season. After Butler submitted a pair of passive, disengaged performances this week vs. New Orleans and Indiana and then asked to be dealt, the team appears to have changed its tune, indicating that it is very much open for business.

Butler has a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26 and has reportedly conveyed that he plans to decline that option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. That and his $48.8MM salary for 2024/25, along with his age (35) and injury history, may make him difficult to trade.

The Warriors, Suns, Mavericks, and his hometown Rockets had been floated as Butler’s preferred landing spots in a deal, but the Heat figure to listen to any team that expresses interest.

The suspension will cost Butler $336,543 per game in salary, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That’s 1/145th of his overall salary and will work out to a total of $2,355,798 over seven games.

Trade Rumors: Butler, C. Johnson, Nets, Grizzlies, Pelicans

January 3rd, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

The rest of the NBA is watching the standoff between the Heat and Jimmy Butler with “their popcorn out,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Insider link), who notes that team president Pat Riley doesn’t make a habit of deferring to his star players, operating with a “bluntness and strength” that’s somewhat atypical of team executives in this era.

“You cannot intimidate Pat Riley,” one prominent player agent said to ESPN.

As Windhorst details, Riley let longtime franchise star Dwyane Wade walk over a contract dispute in free agency in 2016 and reportedly shut down LeBron James when the star forward hinted he wanted head coach Erik Spoelstra replaced back in 2010. If the longtime Heat president approaches the Butler situation with a similar mindset, he’s not likely to grant the 35-year-old’s trade request if he doesn’t like what Miami is getting in return.

“The Heat make mistakes and sometimes have issues with players just like everyone else,” one general manager told Windhorst. “But they do not get pushed around.”

As Tim Bontemps of ESPN points out within the same story, under the NBA’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement, it’s not necessarily the worst outcome to have a maximum-salary free agent walk away for nothing. The Clippers took that route with Paul George this past offseason, opting for additional cap flexibility rather than taking back contracts that they didn’t want and would’ve had trouble moving. If the trade offers for Butler are underwhelming, the Heat may decide that’s the best path for them too.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

While Cameron Johnson is among the most coveted trade targets in the NBA, talks involving the Nets forward are expected to be more complex than the ones for Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Windhorst, so they’ll take more time. There will be more suitors in play for Johnson, and Brooklyn has made it clear the price will be higher than it was for its other veterans. As Windhorst writes, the Nets have expressed a belief that Johnson could be a long-term keeper, since he’d fit well alongside just about any impact player they’re able to land in the coming years. Still, at least one rival executive believes that stance may just be a negotiating tactic. “That’s all good to say, but they’ll trade him if they get what they want,” the exec said. “They like him as a player and a person and all that, but they built his contract specifically to be able to trade him by next summer.”
The bidding war between Memphis and the Lakers for Finney-Smith resulted in “hard feelings emanating” from the Grizzlies and the Nets for the way their talks played out, according to Windhorst. That doesn’t mean the two sides can’t come together for another deal – Memphis is reportedly among Johnson’s possible suitors – but it’s something worth keeping in mind ahead of February 6.
Bontemps asked several people around the NBA how many players earning more than Johnson’s $22.5MM will be traded at this season’s deadline. “Not many,” one said. Another replied, “Maybe two?” The thinking is that CBA-related restrictions will complicate moves involving players with significant cap hits.
William Guillory of The Athletic takes a closer look at the Pelicans‘ trade options, identifying Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy, and Yves Missi as the only players on the roster who are essentially untouchable this season. Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Jordan Hawkins, and Jose Alvarado aren’t technically in that group, but are also unlikely trade candidates, in Guillory’s view.

Latest On Jimmy Butler

January 3rd, 2025 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Both sides are angry in the Jimmy Butler standoff, but that doesn’t guarantee that he’ll be traded by the February 6 deadline, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Butler’s comments after Thursday’s game about hoping to “get my joy back from playing basketball” came after a conversation earlier in the day between his representatives and Heat officials, sources tell the authors. Butler was upset because he and his agent believed the team was implying he didn’t play hard in Wednesday’s game against New Orleans, which he finished with nine points and four rebounds in 25 minutes as he returned to the lineup after missing five games with an illness.

Team representatives contend Thursday’s meeting was a “macro level discussion” that addressed concerns over Butler’s behavior as trade rumors have intensified over the last few weeks.

Butler and his agent are claiming that the team threatened to suspend him after the Pelicans game, Jackson tweets, but Heat officials deny that ever happened.

With Butler’s future in Miami almost guaranteed to end following this season, if not earlier, Jackson and Chiang see three potential resolutions. The most immediate is a trade before next month’s deadline, but the authors point out problems with each of Butler’s preferred destinations.

If he’s sent to the Warriors, Miami would almost certainly have to take back Andrew Wiggins‘ contract, paying him $28.2MM and $30.2MM over the next two years. Jackson and Chiang note that the Heat’s projected tax bill of more than $15MM comes in part from giving large salaries to Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier. Another big contract for a non-All Star would worsen the team’s financial position, with Bam Adebayo on a max deal and Tyler Herro averaging $30MM per season.

The same issue exists with the Suns, as the authors state that Miami has “no interest” in taking on Bradley Beal, who is still owed $160MM. However, they believe the equation could change if Kevin Durant decides to ask out of Phoenix amid a disappointing start to the season.

Butler has also reportedly expressed a desire to join the Rockets or Mavericks, but Jackson and Chiang note that Houston has denied interest in taking on older players, while Dallas doesn’t have enough trade assets to interest Miami.

The Nuggets could emerge as another possibility by offering Michael Porter Jr., the authors state. However, they caution that he has also never been an All-Star and is owed $38.3MM and $40.8MM over the next two seasons. A third team would be necessary to complete most of these deals, but Detroit at $14MM is currently the only option with cap space.

Butler could also be traded this summer, either by picking up his $52.4MM player option or declining it and working with the team on a sign-and-trade. The issue there would be that most teams aren’t in position to absorb Butler’s salary outright and would have to send out contracts in order to accommodate him.

If Miami isn’t interested in what Butler’s suitors have to offer, a third or fourth team might be necessary to take on that unwanted salary. Jackson and Chiang project that up to 11 teams are in position to create cap room during the offseason to help facilitate a trade.

If Miami could trade Butler without taking back salary in return, it would leave the team with a trade exception equal to whatever Butler will be making in the first season of his new contract, along with a non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth $14.1MM and the $5.1MM bi-annual exception. They would have 10 players under contract — possibly 11 if Keshad Johnson exercises his $1.9MM player option — at a total cost of about $141MM, roughly $13.6MM below the projected salary cap.

The final option is for Butler to sign elsewhere in free agency, but the authors consider that less likely because only Brooklyn currently projects to have enough cap room to offer a deal in his desired salary range without the Heat’s help.

Western Notes: Nurkic, Fox, Davis, Blazers, Harden

January 2nd, 2025 at 11:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite a report to the contrary, the Suns aren’t actively shopping Jusuf Nurkic, a source tells Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link).

While the distinction may matter to Nurkic himself, the question of whether or not the veteran center is being “actively shopped” likely comes down to semantics, since it’s clear Phoenix would move him if the right opportunity arises.

However, it won’t be easy to find that right opportunity. Nurkic, who has one more guaranteed year left on his contract after this season, will have limited value on the trade market and may be easier to trade in the offseason, Bourguet notes. The Suns also can’t aggregate salaries in a trade since they’re operating over the second tax apron, meaning Nurkic can’t be dealt for a player earning more than he is ($18.13MM).

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Weighing in on the De’Aaron Fox situation in Sacramento, Marc Stein (Substack link) covers many of the same bases that Sam Amick of The Athletic did earlier today, writing that teams are keeping a close eye on the situation even though the Kings aren’t yet willing to entertain the idea of trading their star point guard. Discussing the possibility of the Rockets pursuing Fox, Stein cautions not to assume Houston will be in the mix, even though the 27-year-old fits the team’s timeline better than previously rumored targets like Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant. Rockets officials like how the current roster looks and may not zero in on Fox as the player they want to sacrifice several valuable assets to acquire, Stein writes.
The Lakers held Anthony Davis out of action on Thursday vs. Portland due to a left ankle sprain. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays (via Twitter), head coach JJ Redick said before the game that the Lakers want to “be smart” about Davis’ lingering ankle soreness and pointed out that the team faces a challenging January schedule, with 17 games in the next 30 days.
In a preview of what 2025 holds for the Trail Blazers, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Substack link) reiterates a point he has made before, writing that it’s “hard to picture” a scenario in which Chauncey Billups is still coaching the Blazers by the time the 2025/26 season tips off. Highkin also explores where things stand with Portland’s top trade candidates and the Blazers’ ownership situation, among other topics.
Clippers star James Harden was downgraded to questionable and then ruled out for the team’s Thursday game vs. Oklahoma City due to groin soreness. As Law Murray of The Athletic tweets, Harden also missed one game last month due to a groin issue — if the ailment isn’t any more serious this time around, it shouldn’t cause him to miss much – if any – additional time.

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