Day: January 22, 2025

The Miami Heat plan to suspend Jimmy Butler for two games after he missed a team flight on Wednesday. Butler had plans to join the Heat later on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s game at the Milwaukee Bucks. Butler will also be suspended for Saturday’s game at the Brooklyn Nets.

Butler recently came off a seven-game suspension and played in Miami’s previous three games.

There has been a perceived increase in probability that the Heat will trade Butler ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Dereck Lively II will be out two to three months after sustaining a small fracture in his foot. The Dallas Mavericks announced the injury as a stress fracture in his right ankle with a minimum four-week absence. Lively has averaged 9.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 blocks per game in his second NBA season.

The Mavericks are already navigating a long-term calf injury to Luka Doncic and are currently in seventh place.

Dallas has Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell on their depth chart at center behind Daniel Gafford.

The Phoenix Suns draft-pick trade with the Utah Jazz appears to be about stocking up draft capital to swing a deal for Jimmy Butler. The Suns now appear to have the capital to entice other teams to take on contracts in a deal to acquire Butler from the Miami Heat.

One of those players is likely to be Bradley Beal. However, the Suns reportedly still haven’t talked with Beal about any trade possibilities. The veteran guard has a no-trade clause and would have to approve any trade that sends him away from Phoenix.

Phoenix is expected to have to attach a draft pick or two to get a team to take on the $110 million owed to Beal for the next two seasons after this one. In addition, the Suns could use a now-tradable third pick to incentivize a team to eat the $19 million owed to Jusuf Nurkic for the 2025-26 season.