Suns Rumors

Latest On Jimmy Butler

After being called out by agent Bernie Lee, who accused him of publishing “made-up bulls–t” about his client Jimmy Butler, Shams Charania responded to Lee and doubled down on his reporting during a Thursday appearance on ESPN’s First Take (YouTube link).

“I one thousand percent stand by my reporting,” Charania said. “It’s fully vetted, and as a professional, that’s what I do. That’s what I get paid to do, that’s what I’m going to do: report truthfully and accurately. That’s what this is, period.”

Charania reported on Tuesday that Lee had made it clear in league circles that Butler would be open to destinations like the Rockets, Mavericks, and Warriors if the Heat decided to trade him. On Wednesday, Charania added the Suns to that list.

Reports from other outlets have since indicated that Dallas and Phoenix are extremely unlikely landing spots for Butler for cap/CBA and personnel reasons, and the Rockets have repeatedly expressed that they don’t intend to make an in-season trade that breaks up their current core. But Charania reiterated during his ESPN appearance on Thursday morning that those are the teams Butler’s camp has circled as favorable ones in the event of a deal.

“I one thousand percent stand by it,” Charania said. “It is one thousand percent facts.”

Charania stressed on Thursday that Butler hasn’t requested a trade, so while the Heat are open to listening to offers, that doesn’t necessarily mean the 35-year-old forward will be on the move during the season. In fact, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during that same First Take segment that he thinks Butler would rather stay in Miami than be traded to any of those clubs mentioned by Charania.

“From what I understand, I think Jimmy Butler’s preference would be to sign an extension in Miami,” Windhorst said. “He had hoped to do that actually last summer, but (Heat president) Pat Riley came out at the end of last season and said that’s not what the Heat were doing, and they still haven’t made any progress on that. I think that’s what he would like to do. I think he would like to stay there.

“But as you talk to people around the league… most executives think if there’s any (big-name) player that could possibly get moved it would be Jimmy Butler,” Windhorst continued. “Because trade season opens basically on Sunday, I think that’s why you’re seeing interest pick up. The teams are going to start talking to each other and the players who want to get into comfortable situations with their contracts are going to start trying to leverage their position. So this is just the beginning of what I think will be a lot of what you hear about Jimmy Butler in the coming days and weeks.”

Here are a few more Butler-related items:

  • Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports breaks down the likelihood of a Butler trade to one of the four teams reported by Charania, concluding that the Warriors make the most sense of the possible trade partners in that group. However, O’Connor notes that the Heat could easily hang onto Butler through the trade deadline or expand their scope to other would-be suitors. Of all the hypothetical landing spots O’Connor explores, he views the Nuggets as the most logical fit, though there has been no indication Denver is interested.
  • Keith Smith of Spotrac explores possible Butler trade scenarios from a salary cap and CBA perspective, explaining why it would be difficult – but not impossible – for the Heat to make a deal with most teams.
  • In case you missed it, we wrote earlier today about the possibility of mutual interest between Butler and the Nets. However, Brooklyn figures to only be a potential suitor in free agency next summer, not on the trade market during the season.

Durant, Nurkic Almost Due For Reevaluations

The Clippers‘ wish to see Kawhi Leonard back on the court might come true by Christmas, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Leonard, who has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee that dates back to spring, was able to practice for the first time on Tuesday. Coach Tyronn Lue said that barring any setbacks, Leonard could be playing again within two weeks.

“Really good sign, just seeing him out there moving, moving well,” Lue said. “I think the biggest thing for him is just the confidence in it. Just having the confidence to keep doing it, not to feel the pain, and just continue to keep getting through it. So, it was good to see him on the floor and it gave us a little juice today just for our guys seeing him on the floor, it really picked up our energy.”

The Clippers were counting on Leonard to serve as the foundation of the team when they gave him a three-year, $150MM extension midway through last season. They have been able to remain surprisingly competitive without him, sitting in sixth place in the West with a 14-11 record and the sixth-ranked defense in the league.

Lue cautioned that even though Leonard continues to make progress, there’s still not a firm target date for him to return.

“He’s got to do a lot more things to really get back on the floor,” Lue added. “We just want to make sure he’s 100%. We don’t want to get him out there, 70%, 75%. Like, let’s just take our time, make sure we get it right. … We’re not going to let him skip steps, and so we want to do right by Kawhi.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Kings‘ offense has been sparked by the recent decision to move Malik Monk into the starting lineup, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. In the five games since coach Mike Brown made the move, Sacramento ranks first in the league in scoring and offensive rating, fourth in field goal percentage and seventh in three-point shooting. “He adds another play-maker and another guy who can really get downhill,” De’Aaron Fox said. “Ultimately, that makes your offense a lot better, especially from the start of the game to the end.”
  • Doug McDermott enjoyed his best game since joining the Kings in Sunday’s win over Utah, Anderson adds in a separate story. The 32-year-old forward scored 18 points in eight minutes of the fourth quarter, sinking 6-of-7 three-point shots. “Once the first couple went in, I figured I might as well keep shooting,” said McDermott, who wasn’t used in the previous four games. “It was a good win for us. Our group came out really happy with the way we closed the game. Everyone on the bench was ready to play.” 
  • Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic are both due to be reevaluated this week, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. The Suns have an 11-2 record when Durant plays, but they’re just 1-9 without him. “We’re not playing a complete 48 minutes,” Tyus Jones said. “I think we’re playing good enough to win, but we’re not playing a full 48. We have stretches throughout the game where we kind of get careless, too many turnovers. Not getting the stops that we need.” A previous report stated that Durant could return on Friday vs. Utah or Sunday vs. Portland.

Jimmy Butler’s Agent Denies Report About Interest In Suns

Phoenix is a potential destination that interests Jimmy Butler as trade rumors continue to swirl around the Heat star, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). However, while Charania’s report suggests that Butler’s agent, Bernie Lee, has “indicated in league circles” that Phoenix would be a favorable landing spot, Lee immediately and vehemently denied any involvement.

“Alright listen. I gave you a pass yesterday because I was busy, but if you don’t stop putting my name on your complete and utter made up bulls–t because you know you normally aren’t worth my time to acknowledge,” Lee responded (via Twitter). “I don’t know what I’m going to do because I’m a middle aged dad but just know it would indicate severe dislike.

“World… all this is fabricated. I have never and honestly it wouldn’t help me or the position I represent to do anything that’s been reported by said ‘journalist.’ Shams, this is your opportunity to say, ‘My bad I let ChatGPT write my tweets and it went old school Peter Vescey..’ (Shams, Peter was a writer in the 90’s). Be a trend setter.. invent the new ‘I was hacked.’ Carry on all. Thank you.”

Charania reported on Tuesday that Lee had made it clear in league circles that Butler would be open to destinations like Houston, Dallas, and Golden State in the event of a trade.

It’s worth noting that Lee and Charania have clashed before, including in April when Charania reported that Butler was feared to have suffered an MCL and was expected to miss several weeks following a collision with Sixers wing Kelly Oubre in a play-in game.

Lee denied the report, as did the team’s beat writers, noting that Butler had yet to undergo an MRI. The Heat star ended up missing the first-round series against Boston with a sprained MCL.

Lee also lashed out following at Charania following his 2021 claim that there were “very, very testy moments behind the scenes” between Butler and the Heat coaching staff, referring to the reporter as an “ambulance chasing, dirt bag piece of s–t” in a tweet he later deleted.

If there’s substance behind Charania’s latest report, it’s significant because any team dealing for Butler would like some assurance that he’ll consider re-signing. He holds a $52.4MM player option for next season and has indicated that he plans to turn that down and test free agency.

Butler is making $48.8MM this season, so it would be difficult to get him to a team like Phoenix, which is operating under second apron restrictions and isn’t permitted to combine salaries in any trade. ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (Twitter link) that Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal combine for 68% of the Suns’ salary, and Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract, but one of them (presumably Beal) would have to be sent out in any deal involving Butler.

A source tells Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link) that the Suns aren’t pursuing a trade for Butler, regardless of any interest he might have. Bourguet’s source states that management has faith in its current roster, pointing out that the team is 11-2 when Durant, Booker and Beal are all healthy.

Bourguet also notes that because Miami and Phoenix are both apron teams, neither can take back more salary than it sends out. The only loophole would be for Miami to attach a veteran’s minimum deal along with Butler’s contract because Phoenix could take on that contract using the minimum salary exception (Twitter link). Involving a third team to take on salary would also work.

Charania’s Latest: Ingram, Jones, McCollum, Blazers, Kuzma, Durant

When the Pelicans and Brandon Ingram discussed an extension during the offseason, he and his representatives at Excel Sports Management were seeking $50MM per season, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Insider link). Previous reporting indicated that Ingram was pursuing a maximum-salary extension, which would’ve been worth up to $208MM over four years, so an ask of $50MM per season would’ve been in the neighborhood of his max.

As Charania explains, based on their current commitments, the Pelicans project to be $31MM below the tax in 2025/26, so re-signing Ingram to a $45MM+ starting salary would’ve pushed that figure well beyond the tax line and into apron territory, which probably isn’t feasible for a team that has never been a taxpayer.

The Pelicans value Ingram highly and are expected to keep the door open for a potential extension now that the forward has changed agents and is represented by Klutch Sports, Charania writes, but a trade is considered the more likely outcome, given the team’s financial outlook.

When New Orleans’ front office discussed possible Ingram trades over the summer, the Timberwolves were among the teams to show interest, sources tell Charania. However, a deal would’ve needed to be centered around Karl-Anthony Towns, and it likely only would’ve been viable if the two teams had reached an agreement during the 2023/24 season, before Towns’ super-max extension went into effect.

According to Charania, with the injury-plagued Pelicans off to a dismal 5-20 start this season, rival teams have begun to express interest in players like Herbert Jones and CJ McCollum. Charania doesn’t say whether or not New Orleans will consider moving either player, but I’d imagine the front office would be very reluctant to make a trade involving Jones, who is the team’s most valuable defensive player.

Here’s more from Charania:

  • Multiple teams have begun to express interest in veteran Trail Blazers trade candidates Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Robert Williams, sources tell Charania. Grant and Simons have gotten off to slow starts this fall and Williams has a concerning injury history, but the three players are still among Portland’s most valuable – and most logical – trade chips.
  • Several contending teams are expected to pursue Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma this season, Charania reports. Kuzma has been limited to just 12 outings for health reasons and has seen his offensive output dip in the early going (15.8 PPG, .420/.276/.688 shooting) but has a strong track record as a scorer and is on a contract with a team-friendly declining structure.
  • There’s optimism that injured Suns star Kevin Durant could return from his ankle sprain on either Friday in Utah or Sunday vs. Portland, Charania writes. While Phoenix obviously won’t want to rush back its leading scorer, it has been night and day for the team this season when Durant is available (11-2 record) and when he isn’t (1-9).
  • In case you missed it, we passed along a few more items from Charania earlier today in separate full stories.

Western Notes: Flagler, Durant, Leonard, Ingram

Thunder two-way player Adam Flagler will miss four-to-six weeks due to a right fourth metacarpal fracture, Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman tweets.

The 25-year-old guard out of Baylor has appeared in 11 games with the Thunder this season. He’s averaged 1.4 points and 0.5 rebounds in 3.4 minutes per contest, having played almost exclusively in garbage time.

Flagler is a holdover from last season, as he originally signed his two-way deal in February. He was a critical contributor for the Oklahoma City Blue’s championship squad in 2023/24. In three G League contests this season, he has averaged 25.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.7 APG and 2.3 SPG.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • The Suns are 11-2 with Kevin Durant in uniform and 1-9 without him. Phoenix should be able to overcome Durant’s absences better than that, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com writes. Their futility in the games he’s missed is due in large part to Devin Booker‘s subpar efficiency and spotty defense, as well as Bradley Beal‘s inability to step up his game to fill the void, according to Bourguet.
  • Kawhi Leonard appears to be progressing toward a return this month and it would be an ideal time to ease him back into the Clippers‘ lineup, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The Clippers don’t have back-to-back games until New Year’s Day and will only play six games in the 21-day window that begins on Monday, which should help their injured players heal up. “He’s a defensive-minded guy who can guard the basketball, guard five different positions,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Leonard. “For him coming into what we’re doing, it shouldn’t be hard for him to get involved.”
  • Brandon Ingram‘s ankle injury, which will keep him out of action indefinitely, means the floundering Pelicans must soon make some difficult decisions, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. They must decide what to do with Ingram, a free agent after the season, and whether there’s still a trade market for him. They also must figure out what to do with their other oft-injured star, Zion Williamson.

Pacific Notes: James, Harden, Durant, Kuminga

LeBron James had appeared in all 23 of the Lakers‘ games this season until Sunday. The 39-year-old forward missed Los Angeles’ game against the Trail Blazers because of left foot soreness, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.

James played a season-high 43 minutes on Friday in an overtime loss at the Hawks. He racked up 39 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. He is averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per contest.

The four-time MVP was listed as probable earlier on Sunday before being downgraded to doubtful after the team’s walk-through.

“You don’t want him out of the lineup, that’s for sure, but he has an opportunity to get four days’ rest before we practice again,” coach JJ Redick said. “So, it could be really good for him.”

Austin Reaves missed his fifth straight game because of a left pelvic contusion.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Like James, Clippers guard James Harden sat out for the first time this season on Sunday. Harden was sidelined by a groin injury, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Harden scored a season-low five points against Minnesota on Wednesday, but is averaging 21.6 points, 8.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game on the season.
  • Kevin Durant is making good progress from his left ankle sprain, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “We feel like the reports that we’re getting back are very positive,” Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’ll see how the next day or two go and I think re-evaluate him. It’ll be good for us to get back and give him some love. He’ll probably give us some love. It’s always good to be around Kevin. He’s good for our spirit.” The team stated on Wednesday that Durant would be out at least a week.
  • The Jonathan Kuminga era has begun for the Warriors, Marcus Thompson of The Athletic writes. Kuminga has been inserted into Golden State’s lineup at Draymond Green‘s expense in order to infuse that unit with another offensive jolt. “He’s a big weapon for us. … So we’ve got to lean into that. And it may not go well every night, but that’s what we’re trying to build,” Stephen Curry said. Kuminga will be a restricted free agent after the season.

Bradley Beal Feeling Better; Ryan Dunn Dealing With Ankle Soreness

  • Suns guard Bradley Beal believes he has overcome the left calf strain that has caused him to be in and out of the lineup recently, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Beal played his second straight game tonight and logged more than 34 minutes. “Feel good, really good,” he said. “Progressing the right way. Minutes have been fine. Body is reacting fine postgame. Feel great.”
  • Suns rookie Ryan Dunn missed his second straight game with soreness in his left ankle, but coach Mike Budenholzer doesn’t believe it’s a long-term issue (Twitter video link from Rankin).

And-Ones: China, 2025 Draft, Doncic, Trade Deadline, Trends

The Nets and Suns will play two preseason games in Macao next October, which marks the first time the NBA is playing in China since 2019, Shams Charania of ESPN reports (Twitter link). The NBA later formally announced the decision (Twitter link).

Bringing preseason games to Macao will showcase the excitement of the NBA to fans in one of the world’s emerging hubs for sports,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in the statement. “The Nets and Suns feature an exciting mix of established and rising stars, and we look forward to engaging fans, aspiring players and the local community in Macao through these games and a variety of interactive events, youth development programs and social impact initiatives.

The partnership is the result of a years-long effort to repair the relationship between the two sides after commissioner Adam Silver and the league didn’t reprimand then-Rockets general manager Daryl Morey after he tweeted support for protests in Hong Kong in 2019, Charania and Brian Windhorst write.

NBA games were then temporarily removed from broadcasts in China and sponsorships were lost. The relationship has been mended largely in part to NBA China’s CEO Michael Ma, according to Charania and Windhorst.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • Duke’s Cooper Flagg is still the top-ranked prospect on Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft, but Rutgers’ Dylan Harper is beginning to put pressure on him for that top spot. The 18-year-old Harper scored 36 points against Notre Dame and 37 against Alabama. Despite Harper’s strong play, executives have a hard time seeing Flagg being unseated from the pole position, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (Insider link). BYU’s Egor Demin and Rutgers’ Ace Bailey are among other players who will push to hear their names called No. 1 overall.
  • While Luka Doncic is obviously primarily focused on the Mavericks‘ current season, he’s still excited that Slovenia qualified for EuroBasket 2025 and is looking forward to the chance to suit up for them, Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal reports. Slovenia is also up to potentially host EuroBasket in 2029. “That would be a dream come true, playing in front of fans in a big tournament at the EuroBasket,” Doncic said.
  • The NBA trade deadline could see reduced action as compared to other recent seasons, due in part to the restrictive CBA but also fewer bad contracts across the league, Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). “Teams are a little bit smarter and I just think the intelligence into the game and the way teams are operated and the gameplay is taking some of the stuff fans kind of like — at least some of the older school fans,” Windhorst said.
  • Hornets two-way player Moussa Diabate has played well amid Charlotte’s frontcourt injuries, which is one recent trend worth monitoring, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz. Diabate is averaging just 3.1 points per game, but has grabbed 7.8 rebounds (3.6 of which are offensive boards) per night. The Lakers playing better when LeBron James is off the court and Atlanta owning L.A.’s first-round pick are other trends worth keeping tabs on as the season progresses, Katz notes.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Leonard, Green, Curry, Warriors, Nurkic

The Lakers suffered a 41-point loss to the Heat on Wednesday, their fourth loss by 20 or more points in their last seven games and their worst loss of the season. During the game, it dawned on JJ Redick that his team has become lost after a 10-4 start to the year, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

We’re having trouble right now on both ends with, like, base-level game-plan stuff,” Redick said. “It’s odd. It’s very odd. … [There] has to be some ownership. You can splinter, and it’s easy to not want the ownership, particularly when it’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed. We’re all embarrassed. It’s not a game that I thought we had the right fight, the right professionalism.

There has to be some ownership on the court, and I’ll take all the ownership in the world. This is my team and I lead it and I’m embarrassed. But I can’t physically get us organized. I can’t physically be into the basketball. I can’t physically talk and call out [switches] and physically call out coverages. … And by the way, I’m not blaming players. It’s not. I own this, but going to need some ownership on the court as well. … There’s not a sense from me that we’re together right now.

LeBron James broke out of a recent shooting slump in the game, delivering 29 points, but didn’t push back on Redick’s assertion, stating that it was on the players to right the ship, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha writes. Anthony Davis has just 20 combined points in his last two games and agreed with those sentiments.

I hate losing,” Davis said. “The way we’re losing, we’re playing bad, blown out. I’m not playing well individually. It’s an accumulation of things and it’s frustrating. … And it’s on us. It’s on us players, to be honest. We’re getting the schemes. The schemes are on point. But we just gotta go out and do it and execute ’em. But I just gotta step up for the team.

Redick went on to state that “there’s not a sense from me that we’re together right now.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who hasn’t played this season while dealing with a right knee issue, is expected to return to the lineup sometime “before Christmas,” Bill Simmons of The Ringer said on his podcast. We recently relayed that Leonard was doing on-court work and “progressing well,” but that there was no timeline for his return. The Clippers have gone 14-10 in his absence and sit in sixth in the Western Conference standings. While Leonard’s return, whenever it comes, will obviously be a major boon, it’s important to note that the Clippers have already expressed they’ll exercise caution to ensure he remains healthy for the long run. While this is just speculation at this point, that could include curbing his minutes or having him sit out one end of back-to-back sets.
  • Draymond Green exited Tuesday’s game against Denver due to calf tightness and underwent an MRI on Wednesday. According to Warriors PR (Twitter link), the MRI was negative, but Green missed Thursday’s game against Houston. Stephen Curry also didn’t play Thursday, but head coach Steve Kerr said the plan is for Curry to play Friday against Minnesota and that it’s “possible” Green suits up too, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes. “Steph’s knee stuff the last couple of weeks … he’s in pain,” Kerr said. “We’re not playing him. We can’t play him through this stretch every game and expect him to get through. … And same thing with Draymond, otherwise you’re chasing your tail and then guys end up missing weeks at a time.
  • After starting the season 12-3, the Warriors have dealt with injuries and blown leads alike to fall to 13-8. Even amid their injuries, the Warriors have had a deep rotation all season, with 12 players (not including De’Anthony Melton, who suffered a season-ending injury) averaging double-digit minutes per game. “With everybody healthy, the strength of the team is the depth,” Kerr said, per Youngmisuk. “… [But] I think [our] weakness is almost the same thing. There’s very little clarity for me and the staff as to who we should play every night down the stretch. We probably have had different lineups closing the game for the last five games. So good and bad with that. But it does help when you get some separation and you know for sure kind of who your group is. We’re not sure what that means yet.
  • Suns center Jusuf Nurkic hasn’t played since Nov. 27 while dealing with an ankle injury. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), Nurkic’s recovery timetable is likely to be similar to Kevin Durant‘s. That means he’s probably out for at least the next week, which would mean missing three more games at minimum.

Kevin Durant Out At Least One Week Due To Sprained Ankle

Suns star Kevin Durant, who exited Tuesday’s win over San Antonio due to a left ankle sprain, will be reevaluated in one week, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Suns have confirmed the news in a press release.

Even if Durant is fully recovered in a week, he’ll miss Phoenix’s games in New Orleans on Thursday, Miami on Saturday, and Orlando on Sunday. The earliest he might return would be on December 13 in Utah.

Durant appeared to sustain the injury with about 4:30 left in the second quarter vs. the Spurs, when he drove to the basket and attempted to split a pair of San Antonio defenders for a layup (video link). He stepped on Julian Champagnie‘s foot as he attempted to rise up and ended up falling to the floor and grabbing at his ankle.

Durant was able to stay in the game a little longer, knocking down a free throw and a mid-range jumper before checking out with 3:51 remaining in the second quarter. He didn’t return to the game after that.

This will be Durant’s second injury absence of the season. The former MVP missed seven games in November due to a left calf strain — Tuesday was just his fourth game back.

The Suns have a solid 12-8 record for the season, but they went just 1-6 in games Durant missed, so they’ll be looking to do a better job of surviving without their leading scorer in the coming week.

Royce O’Neale, Josh Okogie, and rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro are among the candidates for increased minutes with Durant out, while Phoenix’s other stars – Devin Booker and Bradley Beal – will take on more offensive responsibilities.