3 outside-the-box Jimmy Butler destinations that make a lot more sense than Phoenix

The NBA's worst-kept secret is that Jimmy Butler wants to join the Phoenix Suns ahead of next month's trade deadline. The Suns, meanwhile, appear to be the only team willing to extend Butler's contract. It's a match made in heaven.

Except... it's not. The Suns don't need to swap aging stars without any effort to boost the supporting cast. Butler is a superior option to Bradley Beal, of course, but the Suns are a .500 basketball team with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. There are deeper issues at play here.

Moreover, the Suns just don't have a path to acquiring Butler. The Heat aren't going to take Beal. The other 28 NBA teams probably won't take Beal either. And, even if there was a team willing to absorb that stinky contract, Beal has a no-trade clause, which he won't exercise unless he's going to a winning team.

With severely limited draft capital at their disposal and an unshakable albatross contract on their books, the Suns just don't have a viable path to the Miami Heat All-Star. It's legitimately difficult to come up with a realistic plan to get Butler in Phoenix.

That said, Butler should have other interested suitors, whether he is "open" to an extension somewhere other than Phoenix or not. We should not overstate Butler's leverage as a 34-year-old with a clearly muted trade market. If he wants to opt out of his contract and test free agency, let him. The team that trades for him will have the upperhand all the same.

Here are a few sensible landing spots that don't get talked about enough.

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3. Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are starting to settle into a groove. Jamal Murray looks more like his old self, Aaron Gordon is back from injury, and Nikola Jokic remains as dominant as ever. It has been easy to discount the Nuggets, in large part due to the negligence of the front office, but that core should always command respect. Jokic is the best player in the world. You always have a chance with the best player in the world.

That said, after letting key pieces like Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk in free agency, Denver's front office has not done enough to build out the supporting cast around Jokic. Trading for another star — presumably coughing up Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, and scraps — is a risky plan, but also a worthwhile one. Butler has a history of postseason excellence and he's more than capable of elevating Denver to the next tier of contention.

Murray's recent resurgence changes the calculus a bit, but Denver has struggled to consistently generate offense when Jokic isn't involved. Butler can help carry the second unit while removing some of the pressure on Murray's shoulders.

He's not an elite volume shooter, but Butler is extremely active off the ball (when he wants to be). He can cut, connect, and work his way into advantageous positions, where Jokic will always find him. He also helps the perimeter defense, for good measure.

2. Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are a team reborn with Doug Christie walking the sideline. A lot of criticism was hurled at Sacramento after Mike Brown's firing, but the results speak for themselves. The Kings are back in the postseason race with an All-Star core and Keon Ellis, whose defensive freneticism has been front and center during Sacramento's revival.

All of a sudden, the Kings are potential buyers, rather than potential sellers, and it's hard to find a better Jimmy Butler fit on paper. There is always a credible argument against Butler due to his age and his combustive personality, but the Kings would plainly benefit from upgrading the DeMar DeRozan minutes. Butler provides high-level defense and a certain level of leadership when he's engaged.

The Kings are running out of time to prove their conviction to De'Aaron Fox, who becomes a free agent in 2026. We heard ample trade rumblings prior to Christie's promotion to interim head coach. Butler's arrival would put the Kings in the thick of Western Conference contention.

He gives Sacramento another valve for halfcourt shot creation and iso scoring late in games — a notoriously clutch performer to help Fox pick apart defenses down the stretch. DeRozan was a helpful addition, but Butler is, in many ways, just a superior version of DeRozan's archetype.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

This is easily the funniest possible outcome, but also... doesn't it make sense? The Minnesota Timberwolves are struggling to recapture last season's magic after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade.

Butler's initial exit from Minnesota was in no small part due to KAT and Andrew Wiggins, neither of whom are on the roster anymore. Tim Connelly? He's a new GM. Different personnel, different coaches, different front office. Heck, even ownership is expected to change hands eventually.

Minnesota is a different team top to bottom, so there's no reason for Butler to harbor hard feelings. The chance to team up with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert ought to intrigue Butler, whose halfcourt shot creation and playmaking poise would profoundly benefit this ailing Wolves offense.

Mike Conley's decline (and Chris Finch's lack of faith in Rob Dillingham) has left Minnesota short on players who can generate advantages on a regular basis. Butler gives the Wolves another shot-making wing, ideally removing some of the suffocating defensive attention on Edwards, which he so strongly dislikes.

Butler might not want to return to Minnesota, but there's something poetic (or at least comic) to Butler saving the Wolves after the ill-fated KAT trade. The Timberwolves can, in theory, package Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo — essentially, the KAT return package — to get into Butler's salary range. The on-court fit here is strong. The off-court fit? Honestly, Butler and Edwards feel like kindred spirits. This is not completely absurd.