Phoenix Suns: 5 Potential Trades As Buyers Before 2017 NBA Trade Deadline

2. Jimmy Butler

Out of all the superstars that could be available at this year’s trade deadline, Jimmy Butler is the one with the most trade value. He’s only 27, his contract runs through the 2018-19 season (with a $19.8 million player option for 2019-20) and he might be the best player on this list right now anyway.

Unfortunately, that means there’d be plenty of competition for the Chicago Bulls superstar, and in a bidding war with the Boston Celtics, it’s unlikely the Suns would come out on top.

Still, as the DeMarcus Cousins trade earlier this week showed us, anything is possible around this time of year. In that case, would an offer of Alex Len, T.J. Warren, Dragan Bender and two first round picks get the job done for Chicago?

The Bulls have youth, but between Doug McDermott, Bobby Portis, Denzel Valentine, Cristiano Felicio and Paul Zipser, they don’t have a franchise player in the making. They wouldn’t be getting one by throwing Len, Warren and Bender onto that pile, but Phoenix’s 2017 first-rounder could potentially provide them with one.

Warren would supply scoring from the wing, Bender would lend his versatility at the 4 or the 5 and Len could be a decent backup behind Robin Lopez — or a starter if the Bulls fully commit to clearing out the roster of all their veterans.

Again, in the event the Bulls prefer Phoenix’s other 19-year-old rookie, Marquese Chriss could be substituted in for Bender:

However, without a blue chip prospect in this bunch, it’s hard to see Chicago biting. That front office knows it has a top-10 player and perhaps one of the most valuable contracts in the NBA in Jimmy Butler, and only a Godfather offer would persuade the Bulls to let him go and start over.

Len and Bender/Chriss would join a crowded frontcourt with Portis, Felicio and Lopez, and that’s still a lot of bodies even if the Bulls let Taj Gibson walk this summer and found a trade partner for Nikola Mirotic.

The 2017 first round pick would lose value since Butler would help Bledsoe and Booker win more games to close the season, and though Warren and an extra first-rounder would be nice, it’s hard to see Boston NOT swooping in with a superior offer if one of the Suns’ starting guards isn’t involved.