The Miami Heat have a decision to make over their future with Jimmy Butler’s suspension coming towards an end.
Jimmy Butler is currently serving a suspension imposed by his own team, amid concerns over his attitude and desire to force a trade.
The Miami Heat have to try and find a trade partner(s), while they have been tipped to make a temporary reconciliation until the summer.
Coach Erik Spoelstra is a big admirer of Jimmy Butler, but right now the Heat do not have a player who is buying in.
The Phoenix Suns are the team most in need of Jimmy Butler, amid their own flailing attempts to create a super-team.
Butler to Phoenix trade rumors persist, with Stephen A. Smith urging them to give up Bradley Beal.
Beal was briefly benched by the Suns, who are linked with offering Butler a lucrative contract.
A problem is Beal has a no-trade clause – but he would be willing to waive it for three teams – and one of them are the Heat.
While the Butler situation – which Jalen Brunson suggests may be worse behind the scenes – plays out in ugly fashion, Beal’s situation in Phoenix has a calmer aura.
And this, it is argued, should make him more appealing to Miami.
Former NBA player Theo Pinson told the Run Your Race podcast that Bradley Beal’s professionalism could be precisely what Pat Riley is looking for.
Pinson said: “Brad has been the ultimate pro this whole time, knowing that they are ___ing on him.
“If that’s what Miami’s looking for [professionalism], Jimmy’s not giving me that.
“Just trade him. Brad playing well, he been hooping. Trade him.”
Bradley Beal is averaging 17.7 points per game in 2024-25, just below the 18.2 he averaged last season.
There is little difference between his average minutes, so far, 33.1 pg this season vs 33.3 in 2023-24.
His field goal percentage has dipped from 51.9 per cent to 48.9 per cent – but it is not a huge drop-off.
The biggest numbers of Beal’s career came at Washington Wizards in 2020-21, when he averaged 31.3 points per game.
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