A new team has entered the race in the battle to sign Miami Heat outcast Jimmy Butler.
Jimmy Butler is not expected to put on a Miami Heat jersey again after being suspended for a third time.
But where he ends up before the February 6 trade deadline is one of the NBA’s current mysteries. A ranking put out by former star Kendrick Perkins this week listed the Memphis Grizzlies as top choice and Phoenix Suns at number two.
Meanwhile like the Suns, the Golden State Warriors have had contact with the Heat too. And it has now emerged that they are not the only teams.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, it has now emerged the New Orleans Pelicans have made contact with the Miami Heat over a Jimmy Butler trade.
The Pelicans have had a terrible injury-hit season and rank 14th in the Western Conference with a 12-36 record.
Stein reports the Pelicans are interested in a trade involving Butler, with a deal built around Brandon Ingram, and his $36m contract.
Miami would be a hard sell to Butler – and the move would be a gamble for the Pelicans if he opted out, but this is also a chance for them to free themselves from Ingram’s contract.
As an extra layer, Jake Fischer reports: “Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram’s trade scenarios overlap quite a bit.
“You’ve got Toronto interested in BI, and the Raptors a possible multi-team trade facilitator for Butler.
“These two guys are going to be connected in various discussions between now and next week’s deadline.”
The timing of the Pelicans’ contact over Butler is extremely interesting after comments made by trade expert Bobby Marks to ESPN.
Asked over his ones to watch before the NBA trade deadline, Marks responded: “One player we haven’t talked about at all is Brandon Ingram because he’s been injured.
“Here’s a player on an expiring contract, he’s making $36m, both sides have not been able to make an extension here.
“I would certainly circle Ingram in New Orleans as far as being certainly on the market right now, being traded by next Thursday.
“I will say this, New Orleans is 100 per cent going to make a trade.”
Marks further went on to list Andrew Wiggins as his other player to watch, noting how his salary could be fed into a trade with the Heat for Jimmy Butler.
