New Team Emerges As Possible Facilitator in Potential Jimmy Butler-Suns Trade

The Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching and the Phoenix Suns are expected to be a team that is very active in the trade market.

Of course, the Suns’ top priority is landing Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, but a potential trade may be easier said than done. While Butler has demanded a trade out of Miami, the Heat have yet to show much interest in trading him.

Both Butler and the Suns have mutual interest, but with the Heat wanting a package centered around win-now talent and draft capital, the Suns will likely have to find a third team to help facilitate a trade. Phoenix will also have to find a trade suitor for Bradley Beal’s large contract, which also must be a destination that he is open to going to due to his no-trade clause.

There are not a lot of teams who have the cap space to take on Beal’s contract in a potential Butler to Suns trade, but one team has recently been named as a potential facilitator.

According to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, the Toronto Raptors are open to helping facilitate a potential Butler trade. 

Toronto has more than $40 million in expiring contracts which include Bruce Brown and Chris Boucher, both of which may be appealing to the Heat.

With the Raptors having a terrible season, they will likely want draft capital in exchange as well in any potential trade. Of course, this could work out well for Phoenix due to Toronto being able to free up enough cap space to take on Beal’s contract, but it also depends on if Beal would waive his no-trade clause to join a rebuilding team.

With Beal unlikely to want to join a rebuilding team at this point in his career, it could become an issue, but if he is open to joining the Raptors, they would be the perfect team to help facilitate a Butler to Suns trade due to the appealing players they could send to Miami.