This trade window, like any other, has generated plenty of buzz, with the loudest chatter coming from Miami and Phoenix, all revolving around two men– Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal. The drama-filled saga has seen its fair share of dead ends, followed by fleeting hope, only to return to square one. So, with every passing day, the question grows louder in the NBA community, will the blockbuster trade everyone is talking about actually happen? A Suns legend weighed in on the matter.
The topic came up on Run It Back, where the hosts were joined by Eddie Johnson. When asked for his take on whether Jimmy Butler would be a good fit in Phoenix, the former forward had no hesitation in praising his talent. “Jimmy’s a tremendous basketball player… So if we’re just talking basketball player, of course it’ll help. It’ll help our team,” he said. But Eddie wasn’t as confident when it came to Jimmy fitting into the Suns’ lineup replacing Beal.
One of the biggest concerns was Jimmy’s off-court tensions with the Heat, which had the Suns’ analyst wondering. “I think the stuff that he’s going through off the court and how he’s handling it, you start to wonder, okay, will he be the same here? Or will he be back to that guy of a couple of years?” Eddie said. Despite being clear that the 35-year-old could elevate the team to new heights, he acknowledged, “That question mark is always there.” So what needs to be done is prove the narratives wrong. “Your past follows you until you prove people wrong.” Then he gave his final verdict for the potential trade, “Do I think the trade’s gonna happen? I don’t, I don’t think it’s gonna happen.”
Jan 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) warms up before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
If the move doesn’t work out, it would shatter the hopes of Jimmy Butler, who’s desperately seeking an escape. That’s something the Suns are also trying to make possible. They had been stuck for a while due to Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause and now when it can be solved by secretly involving another franchise, Eddie’s remark could crush their plans. But what led the former star to come to that conclusion? “It’s two stubborn people right now, man. When you get two stubborn people, when you’re playing Jimmy Butler, and sometimes it doesn’t work out,” Eddie explained. Besides that, he highlighted the team’s troubling issues and who could solve that.
Eddie Johnson highlights Suns’ issues over Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal trade
Eddie believes basketball is a simple sport, ultimately coming down to the last three minutes. But for the Suns, it’s the opposite. “For us, it’s not the last three, it’s what we have done in the first three. And what we have done in the first three for the most part this year, turn the ball over. What we have done, not rebound,” he pointed out in detail.
Sharing the team’s one of the biggest concerns, Eddie said, “We have outshot teams numerous times this year, but we’ve lost. Why? Because we allowed the opposition, despite not shooting as well, to get 15 more field goals in, because of the offensive glass, because of turnovers.” However, he believes the addition of their newly acquired center could help address these issues. “The addition of Nick Richards for us is huge. Like, yeah, Jimmy would be great, but I just want people to understand, the addition of Nick Richards is huge. Even if we don’t get Jimmy in, we don’t make another deal.”
He feels the team still has a solid foundation, “I would match our shooters with anybody, with Brad (Beal), Devin (Booker), and KD (Kevin Durant). And we’re gonna score. But it’s the other intangibles… That just gets us in trouble.” That’s where Richards comes into the picture, bringing in piles of rebounds.
Indirectly, Eddie highlighted that the Suns don’t necessarily need to trade Beal for Jimmy. In fact, they’ve already found the asset they were looking for in Richards. Do you agree with Eddie Johnson’s take on not bringing Jimmy Butler in Bradley Beal’s place or do you think the Suns should make the trade happen? Let us know your thoughts!
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