Report: Suns Trade with Jazz for 3 1st-Round NBA Draft Picks amid Jimmy Butler Rumors

The Phoenix Suns are trading their unprotected first-round pick in 2031 to the Utah Jazz in exchange for first-round picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029, per Shams Charania of ESPN.

The 2025 pick will be the least favorable of either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Minnesota Timberwolves, per that report, while the 2027 and 2029 selections will be the least favorable option from Cleveland/Minnesota/Utah.

The move seems likely to be a precursor to another trade, with the Suns remaining one of the teams linked to a potential Jimmy Butler move:

Prior to the trade, the Suns only had access to their own 2031 first-round pick and the Denver Nuggets' 2025 second-round pick to move in future trades, leaving them with limited assets in potential trade talks. The 2031 first could end up being incredibly valuable down the line, with Kevin Durant likely retired by that time and Devin Booker out of his prime, but the Suns clearly wanted a few more moveable assets at their disposal.

If the Suns want Butler, however, a number of draft picks aren't going to seal the deal—they'll also need Bradley Beal to sign off on any trade, given his no-trade clause, and either the Miami Heat or a third team involved in any talks to want him.

According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Phoenix's front office "has expressed strong interest in [Butler], according to multiple reports, and because of Beal's salary and the Suns' limited financial flexibility, they would need to include Beal in a trade for him (assuming the team's top two performers, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, are both off the table)."

The Suns recently moved Beal to a role off the bench and have gone 6-3 since that decision. It's become clear that the veteran shooting guard isn't a great fit alongside Durant and Booker, and as Phoenix looks to right the ship after a mediocre 21-21 start, moving Beal is the easiest way to course correct.

But Beal's no-trade clause limits their options, alongside the fact that he's due $53.6 million next season and has a $57.1 million player option for the 2026-27 season (which he'll assuredly exercise).

Beal would probably prefer to remain on a contender, though such a team may not want to absorb that much of a cap sink, and he has the right to veto a deal to a struggling team who might otherwise absorb his salary to gain draft capital in the process.

So it's a complicated situation. But regardless, the Suns now have some more flexibility after Tuesday's trade.