Trade talk around the Dallas Mavericks has heated up over the last week or two, with one name being rumored of potentially being on the move, and one player being linked to the Mavs.
Dallas is reportedly looking to trade Maxi Kleber as he has two years remaining on his three-year, $33 million contract, and they've also been linked to Jimmy Butler. Dallas is reportedly on the list of teams that Butler would like to be traded to along with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
Butler is expected to opt out of his contract over the summer and become a free agent, and some recent intel on what's going on in Butler's camp should have Mavs fans intrigued.
Butler's agent denying Suns rumors should thrill Mavericks fans
On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Phoenix Suns are also a team that Butler is open to be traded to along with the Mavs, Rockets, and Warriors. Despite Charania being one of the most reliable sources for NBA news on the planet, Butler's agent Berard Lee quickly shot this down.
I don’t know what I’m going to do because I’m a middle aged dad but just know it would indicate severe dislike. World… all this is fabricated. I have never and honestly it wouldn’t help me or the position I represent to do anything that’s been reported by said “journalist” https://t.co/1KOXza9SKg
— Bernard Lee (@BernieoLee) December 11, 2024
He said that Charania's report was "fabricated," and went off on him in several other tweets. If Lee is telling the truth about Charania's reporting of the Suns not being in the mix, Mavs fans should be thankful for two key reasons.
First off, for those who want Butler in Dallas, the Suns not pursuing him gives the Mavs a better mathematical probability of landing him. Butler only being open to two other teams rather than three obviously helps the Mavs' case, but the main takeaway from this denial by Lee is that Phoenix not pursuing Butler actually helps the Mavs in a different way.
The Suns are currently 12-11, and while their record isn't the best, they've beaten the Mavs twice already this season. Phoenix adding Butler to an already stacked team would make them even more deadly.
Their defense has been one of their weak points this season as they are ranked 20th in the NBA in defensive rating, and Butler would undoubtedly help them improve in that area. Butler is still an outstanding defender at this point in his career, and he would give the Suns a lockdown perimeter defender to throw at Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Butler could also end up being a better fit than Bradley Beal is next to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker (if they were to trade Beal for Butler), and he gives the Suns more playoff experience, which they need.
The Mavs-Suns matchups are always good, and it seems like Dallas would have a better chance of taking Phoenix down now (with the current Suns roster) than if they were to trade for Butler. It must be remembered that Dallas was without Dereck Lively II and P.J. Washington in their most recent matchup against Phoenix and still only lost by one, and the Mavs are a much different team than the one that played the Suns twice at the beginning of the season. They are playing at an elite level right now, and while the Mavs have been rising in the standings, the Suns have been falling.
Phoenix is 3-7 in their last 10 games and has dropped three games in a row, and a trade for a player like Butler could be the type of move they need to shake up the roster and get back on track. Dallas fans should feel lucky that it doesn't sound like the Suns are going to explore this move, and they could end up rolling with the roster they have or at least sticking with their big three for the rest of the season.
While it seems unlikely that Dallas would make a trade for Butler, to begin with, due to finances and moving around enough money to make it work, he would be an intriguing fit on the Mavs, to say the least. His defense, playmaking, and fiery persona would make him a great fit in Big D, but getting him to the 214 is easier said than done.
Lee's denial of the Suns rumors keeps Mavericks fans' hope alive while also keeping a key rival from getting stronger, and to that, Mavs fans should rejoice.