The NBA trade deadline draws closer by the day, and as always, the transaction cycle remains headlined by the same small group of players. On Monday, the Miami Heat suspended Jimmy Butler indefinitely after he walked out of a shootaround upon receiving the news that he would be benched.

Depending on how you process any recent Heat news, that latter point feels correct, given some of Butler’s relationships with players on Miami’s roster. That is especially true of younger contributors who have grown to see Butler as a mentor no matter his team-related drama or level of candor.

Who else besides Phoenix could emerge as a potential trade suitor for Jimmy Butler? Milwaukee, at the very least, has rival teams wondering if a Butler bid is forthcoming.Source: Marc Stein @

The Bucks and Suns make sense as suitors for Jimmy Butler, but it would certainly be a surprise if he landed on the team floated as his No. 1 trade destination.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been battling themselves back into contention for some time now. After a very slow start to the new season, Milwaukee has seemed to fin

The Milwaukee Bucks have become a heavily rumored trade destination for Suns guard Bradley Beal in recent days, and on paper, the fit makes some sense. Milwaukee was interested in

LaVine is having one of his best seasons, averaging 24 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting a scorching 44.6 percent from three and 56 percent inside the arc. Those numbers aren’t empty calories—he’s an elite shot-maker who could provide exactly what Milwaukee needs.

The countdown is about to move within a week of the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline when it comes to the Miami Heat’s next step with Jimmy Butler. In other words, go-time. For now, the veteran forward remains on unpaid team suspension through at least that deadline,

Though the strength of schedule over this span hasn’t necessarily been impressive, Phoenix has been better recently, winning nine of its last 13 games. So, as the team continues its pursuit of Jimmy Butler, the Suns (24-22) are moving their way up the standings.

Through conversations with Kings officials in recent weeks, Houston Rockets officials were aware of the increasing likelihood of a potential De'Aaron Fox trade away from Sacramento, especially as the prospect of the 27-year-old guard signing a long-term extension with the Kings became less and less plausible.

Butler was informed at shootaround that he would come off the bench behind Haywood Highsmith in this game, which prompted Butler to walk out of shootaround. From there, the Heat suspended Butler “indefinitely,” a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic and since confirmed by the team.