Can the Bucks trade for Jimmy Butler? Only with some serious financial gymnastics

The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly entered the Jimmy Butler "sweepstakes," if that's what we want to call his ostensibly tepid market.

Per Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro, the Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies are "having ongoing discussions" about acquiring the disgruntled Butler from the Miami Heat. However, team president Pat Riley and the front office in South Beach are evaluating whether to trade the six-time All-Star now or in the offseason.

Regardless, Milwaukee's suddenly documented interest in Butler doesn't come without its complexities. Given the modern NBA's tax-apron world, facilitating a swap has become increasingly difficult, especially for organizations like the Bucks and Heat. But is it impossible?

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A Bucks-Heat Jimmy Butler trade is financially feasible, albeit incredibly complicated

Milwaukee is one of four teams in the league over the dreaded second apron, drastically limiting their chances of making impactful roster changes. Meanwhile, the Heat are over the first apron, which is bad (albeit slightly better). Nevertheless, the financial situations they're both in make them far less compatible in terms of striking a deal as negotiation partners, though not entirely implausible.

Amid the Butler-Bucks chatter, ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel weighed in and shared some insight on how a trade can materialize. He notes Milwaukee can't aggregate salaries as a second-apron squad. Yet, they can combine contracts to snag the veteran wing and move out of the second apron entirely.

Siegel added that Milwaukee's "magic number" to land Butler and climb out of the second apron is $55.3 million. The Bucks have players they can scrounge together to reach that number. A package of Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and MarJon Beauchamp gets you there. Nonetheless, the Heat cannot take on all four of their pacts, further complicating matters.

In other words, the Bucks and Heat must find a third team to enter the mix to re-route Connaughton. Interestingly, a franchise that has been floated around as one to monitor ahead of this year's trade deadline for this exact reason is the Detroit Pistons.

Detroit has $14 million in cap space, so they're an ideal third party to eat money and enable an exchange. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks ($), the Bucks/Heat (or anyone else) merely need to add sweeteners to entice them, à la draft capital.

All things considered, Butler heading to Milwaukee is within the realm of possibility. Be that as it may, it's an incredibly far-fetched outcome. Too many things need to happen for the 35-year-old to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.