Jimmy Butler Rumors: Up to 5 NBA Teams Could Be Involved in Potential Suns Trade

Should a trade involving Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler materialize, it might be one of the most complex deals in NBA history.

ESPN's Shams Charania reiterated Thursday on SportsCenter that Butler and Heat president Pat Riley are both working toward a trade but that the Heat are still trying to maximize their return.

When it comes to sending Butler to the Phoenix Suns specifically, there will be a lot of moving pieces. Charania reported a trade that gets the six-time All-Star to Phoenix "could be three-, four-, five-team trade scenarios."

"You're seeing a battle of two alphas right now play out in the meanwhile, with Pat Riley and Jimmy Butler, as both sides are trying to get to a common goal, which is a trade of Jimmy Butler out of Miami. Jimmy Butler has made it abundantly clear he wants to move as soon as possible from Miami, potentially to the Phoenix Suns. But the Heat also have to get the best assets now, from players that can help them win, young players, draft capital, whatever they can get for a guy that in five years in Miami, two Finals runs, another Conference Finals berth. We know he's an All-NBA-caliber player. So, the goals are the same, but at the end of the day, the Heat are going to take their time, and in the meantime, what we're seeing right now play out is a player who does not want to play in that city, and you're seeing the ramifications of it. "

"At the end of the day, deadlines create urgency. And for the Heat and Jimmy Butler, they have technically until Feb. 6th to get a deal done. But the rest of the league, and especially teams that could be involved in this, because from what I'm told, if this were a deal that lands Jimmy Butler to the Phoenix Suns, it could be three-, four-, five-team trade scenarios. And in that case, there are multiple teams waiting on this domino to fall. But at the end of the day, Pat Riley, Micky Arison, Andy Elisburg in that Heat organization, they're going to be the ones that make this final call."

Bradley Beal's no-trade clause is the reason for the Heat and Suns' present headache.

The Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang reported on Jan. 6 that Miami "is not interested in acquiring Beal's no-trade clause," so a straight-up swap is out of the question.

Phoenix can't send the 31-year-old anywhere without his express approval, and it's not immediately clear where else he may want to play.

Beal's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin that rumors were "created out of thin air" regarding his client's willingness to waive his no-trade clause for the Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, or Los Angeles Lakers.

"Having said that, I never operate in terms of absolutes, meaning that we would never say there would never be a trade that you would not consider," Bartelstein said. "You always keep an open mind like everyone does in all aspects of their life, and so if something was to come around that you were truly excited about, you always have to consider those things."

Finding a suitor who's willing to absorb the remainder of Beal's $251 million contract and one for whom he's willing to play won't be easy, hence the need for the Suns to get one or more other teams involved.

In the meantime, it's getting increasingly difficult to see how Butler and the Heat can move forward together if he's on the roster past the Feb. 6 trade deadline. The team suspended him again Wednesday, this time for two games, after he missed a flight and for general insubordination.

Maybe Butler is counting on things with Miami becoming so toxic that the team is willing to relent regarding its stance on Beal's no-trade clause. But even then, Beal could throw a wrench into the works by deciding he doesn't want to play for the Heat.