With just two days to go until the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline, it feels inevitable that Jimmy Butler will end up on a new team, which could very well be the Milwaukee Bucks.
Butler and the Miami Heat have been navigating a nasty divorce for weeks, and the Bucks are among the teams poking around to finalize it. Though Butler would certainly be an interesting addition to this Milwaukee roster for various reasons, there is a new rumor that gives the Bucks an even better trade target to make a strong push for over the next couple of days.
Suns are possibly listening to offers on Kevin Durant; Bucks should call
According to insider Jake Fischer, the Phoenix Suns, another Butler suitor, are reportedly believed to be listening to pitches from other teams for Kevin Durant. It feels like a long shot that the Suns would trade away a star of Durant's caliber, but after recent trades involving Luka Doncic to the Lakers and De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs, nothing might be off the table before the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline.
If there is even a sliver of a chance that Durant may be available, the Milwaukee Bucks should put all of their attention on him. Even at 36, he's averaging 26.9 points per contest, proving to be one of the top scorers in the association to this day. He'd form a lethal trio alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, giving opposing defenses nightmares by elevating this offense mightily.
If the Milwaukee Bucks are indeed hunting for a star, which many reports indicate they are, Durant is a better fit and player than Butler. While adding the two-time Finals MVP would not help the team get a boost in the youth department, it would be an all-in move to maximize the title window with Giannis and Lillard in town. Kevin Durant gives them a better shot at doing that over Jimmy Butler.
The Milwaukee Bucks are clearly in a rut right now, and trading for one of the greatest players of this generation could certainly be a nice shot in the arm. Again, how willing the Suns may be to consider a Durant trade offer remains to be seen, but Jon Horst, one of the most aggressive general managers working today, will put in a call to find out, as he typically does when stars are available.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.