The Jimmy Butler situation only continues to spiral. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Miami Heat have suspended Butler again after he walked out of practice Monday.
This will only add more fuel to the fire that teams like the Milwaukee Bucks or Phoenix Suns will try to pry Butler from the Heat while their championship window is open. Before Butler’s suspension, NBA Champion and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins listed both teams among the top five destinations for Butler on NBA Today.
The Suns came in at No. 3 while the Bucks came in at No. 2. Right behind them were the Dallas Mavericks (No. 5) and the Golden State Warriors (No. 4). At No. 1 was the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies would make sense for Butler, as Memphis is one of the best teams in the Western Conference as the No. 3 seed at 31-15, and Butler would strengthen their playoff chances.
However, on Jan. 23, reporter Marc J. Spears shared on “NBA Today” that Butler is willing to go anywhere except Memphis. He didn’t elaborate much on why, but going to the Grizzlies is the only compromise Butler isn’t willing to make.
The Bucks are still in the top four in the Eastern Conference, but the season hasn’t gone as they wanted it to.
Milwaukee will have their hands full once the NBA playoffs start. Before the postseason, though, the Bucks will do everything possible to build a title-caliber team around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This is especially true because teams are watching Antetokounmpo’s availability if the Bucks come up short again. Trading for Butler may solve that problem if acquiring him leads to Milwaukee, at the very least, going on another extended playoff run.
Even if Milwaukee doesn’t get Butler, they can take solace in knowing he wouldn’t refuse to play for them.
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