Kevin Durant listed as probable against Jazz

We start with the Phoenix Suns idea. Because while this is the newest rumor, it’s also the most complex and the easiest to tackle. It would be difficult for Phoenix to trade Jimmy Butler. Because the Suns are so far past the second apron that they can’t be seen anymore (over $31.5 million). That means Phoenix can’t get back more salary than they paid (in a way…we’ll get there in a second!), and Phoenix can’t add up salary in a trade. That means a trade that sends Butler to the Suns would also have to send one of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, or Kevin Durant back to Miami. There is no other way to close the deal. The Suns cannot combine salaries in a trade, so they would have to send Beal, Booker, or Durant to the Heat. However, each player in that trio makes more money than Butler. The Heat are already over the first apron, so Butler won’t get back even a dollar more than he received in a straight trade. Additionally, the Suns cannot get back more salary than they sent in, making it difficult to get even the lowest-paid players back. I mean, we’re dead in the water, right? Not so fast, my friend! In NBA trades, each team can structure the deal in a way that is most advantageous to them. This may be to create a trade exception or simply to make the transaction legal. The last part is where the Suns and Heat could make a trade happen. Trade proposal: Miami Heat acquires Bradley Beal. Phoenix Suns acquire Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson -via Spotrac.com / December 12, 2024