NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler discomfort, Bradley Beal landing spots, Warriors trade competition

With less than a month until the NBA trade deadline, the rumor mill is percolating. Jimmy Butler has taken the liberty of opening the floodgates, explicitly requesting a trade from the Miami Heat and doing his best to steer the results in a specific direction (he sure does seem to love Phoenix...).

With the Kings' recent firing of Mike Brown and several other noteworthy names starting to pop up in trade talks, make no mistake. We are in for a chaotic and potentially transformative couple of weeks, during which the balance of power in the NBA might shift.

Half the league has its eyes on Cooper Flagg. The other half is chasing OKC and Cleveland atop the standings. So, let's dive into the latest NBA rumors to see what's what in the land of hypotheticals and backroom whispers.

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NBA Rumors: Warriors won't trade for Cam Johnson without a fight

The Golden State Warriors appear out on Jimmy Butler, with mid-tier targets emerging in a more prominent light ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Nikola Vucevic appears to be the focus right now, but another logical and entirely possible Dubs target is Brooklyn Nets wing Cam Johnson.

In the middle of his best season to date at 28 years old, Johnson is sure to inspire a long line of interested suitors. The Nets are embracing a full-on rebuild, with Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith already sent to faraway destinations. In fact, Schroder wound up in Golden State, so we know these front offices get along.

Johnson won't come as cheaply as Schroder, however. It will require multiple first-round picks or significant young talent, in large part due to how competitive the market will be. Sacramento, Memphis, and Indiana have already been linked to Johnson, per NBA insider Marc Stein. The Dubs will need to outbid the field in order to land arguably the most coveted asset on the trade block.

The Dubs need another volume shooter and quality team defender on the wing. Johnson aligns rather perfectly with Golden State's offensive ethos. He has spent his season launching movement 3s, attack seams in the defense, and coming by his points in unselfish ways. He's averaging 19.5 points, a career high, on efficient .496/.436/.895 splits.

NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal will waive his no-trade clause for four teams

The Phoenix Suns are clearly the most motivated team in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes — and, perhaps, Butler's preferred destination at the end of the day. The only problem is Bradley Beal. His contract is imperative to facilitating any Butler trade and, unfortunately, the recently-benched off-guard has a no-trade clause in his contract.

Beal's contract is already undesirable. The Suns probably need to attach draft picks or quality assets just to get rid of it. Factor in Beal's ability to more or less handpick his next destination — or waive off a potential destination on a whim — and it will be extremely difficult for Phoenix to actually get a Butler trade across the finish line.

It seems obvious that Phoenix hopes benching Beal will convince him to accept a trade more liberally. The Suns received a bit of hope with the latest report from Arizona radio host John Gambadoro, which lists three cities (and, presumably, four teams) that Beal will nix his no-trade clause for — Los Angeles, Denver, and Miami.

The report also leaves the door open for more teams to enter the fray. Beal is stuck in a toxic situation where he's clearly not wanted, so that could spur him to accept a relocation. Especially with the Suns so far out of contention right now. Beal can still impact winning, but his contract runs through 2026-27 at more than $50 million annually, so trading him will be difficult, regardless of his no-trade clause.

NBA Rumors: Jimmy Butler and Heat aren't necessarily done yet

The Heat issued a seven-game suspension to Jimmy Butler late last week for "conduct detrimental to the team." It occurred after Butler told reporters he had "lost his joy" on the basketball court and would welcome a trade.

We can quibble over Butler's value as a 34-year-old on an expiring contract and with a notoriously combustive attitude, but a team will trade for him. The six-time All-Star can still impact winning at the highest level and he's a proven postseason commodity, dragging the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals appearances during his soon-to-be-abbreviated tenure.

That said, despite the suspension and the clear urgency to shove Butler out the door, we may not have seen the last of Butler in a Heat uniform. According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat are "prepared" to bring back Butler after his suspension if a trade does not occur beforehand. This is not a situation where Miami will send Butler home until he's dealt. The Heat will squeeze every last drop of value out of Butler's presence until he is no longer in the building.

It sure seems like a deal will take long than the seven-game suspension, too. The offers for Butler right now "stink," per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, which could prompt Miami to wait until closer to the Feb. 6 deadline to pull the trigger.

The Suns are a common theme when it comes to recent Jimmy Butler rumors. The Bradley Beal of it all is a complicating factor — Miami has no interest in Beal, as luck would have it — but the Suns are determined, and where there's a will, there's often a way in the NBA.