There are a number of obstacles that need to be overcome for Butler to be wearing a Suns jersey before season's end. For starters, Miami Heat president Pat Riley would likely need to loosen up just a touch. However, it extends much further than that.

One of the biggest storylines in the basketball world of late has been about what the Miami Heat will do with star forward Jimmy Butler. Butler has requested a trade from the Heat but so far, nothing has materialized.

Up to the year 2031, the Phoenix Suns have just two draft picks that can be traded since they mortgaged their future by shipping the rest away for players like Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and others.

The Jimmy-Butler-Heat saga is layers deep. The six-time All-Star forward — who has made it clear he wants a trade out of Miami — realized that he wasn’t in the Heat’s future plans when team president Pat Riley called a meeting with center Bam Adebayo to crown him leader of the franchise before the 2023-24 season,

Regarding wing swaps, The Miami Heat should look for an asset with a skill set comparable to Jimmy Butler's. In a three-team trade, the Heat could land an underachieving Phoenix Suns star projected to be on the move this season.

While Heat sources say they expect Butler to return Friday against the Nuggets and are fully prepared for him to play, there remains a palpable dread at what he might do and th