The Phoenix Suns are stuttering through the 2024-25 regular season, although they may be about to get a boost with the trade market heating up. Not that they will have it all their own way - not only is this a second apron team - but some players have unique quirks to their contracts that makes them a lot harder to move.
That's not to say they won't be players at all, there are still ways they can improve this roster. But with their chances this season seeming to hang purely on the health of Kevin Durant - this stat in particular does not inspire much confidence - it may be that it doesn't matter what deals they make, there's a ceiling as long as Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are together.
The Suns could have fresh competition for talent in the coming weeks.
The Golden State Warriors got off to a hot start this season, but it didn't feel sustainable. Behind the incredible talents of Stephen Curry, head coach Steve Kerr went deep into his bench in order to keep this group competing on both ends of the court each night. An ACL injury to De'Anthony Melton didn't help either.
At 14-9 the Warriors have cooled off somewhat, and are now rumored to be going after some massive names to get their campaign back on track. More than that - if there are any truth to the rumors - they are attempting to give Curry the kind of send off he deserves while the 36-year-old still has some juice left in the tank.
Jimmy Butler and LeBron James are two stars on the Warriors’ radar, per @windhorstespn 👀
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 11, 2024
Could you see either of them playing in Golden State? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/qrInvrqZiE
That is a massive claim by Brian Windhorst of ESPN, although it is not like he doesn't have history of getting moves like this. He's been right about the Utah Jazz in the past, and Windhorst got his start in the industry by being something of an insider about James as well.
Let's not forget, there was talk of the Warriors going after LeBron at the trade deadline last year as well. But that was before an iconic Olympics run alongside Curry, while first year head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers has certainly had to learn on the job. At this moment, the Warriors are closer to contention that a Lakers group centered on James and Anthony Davis.
If the Warriors could somehow get this over the line, it would leave the Suns miles behind them. They're likely already better than Phoenix - although that is debatable when the Suns are fully healthy - and adding James would put the rest of the Western Conference on notice. Adding Jimmy Butler to the mix would take this to the next level.
It is becoming increasingly clear he wants out of Miami and the Heat, with the Warriors rumored to be one of his preferred destinations. Quite how that could happen remains to be seen, although it is also worth nothing that the Suns could get involved and swap Beal (if he waived his no-trade clause) essentially straight up for Butler.
Really though the fact this could even theoretically happen is a massive blow to the Suns. They're set around Durant and Booker - plus Beal gets to choose if he leaves or not - and cannot make these exotic moves to get better. The Warriors are in a similar bracket to the Suns, and aren't the only ones, and they're going to be active in the coming weeks.