Jimmy Butler wants a trade from the Miami Heat. This is also what Pat Riley and the Heat want. Unfortunately for Butler and his current organization, the NBA trade deadline has suddenly turned into a state of purgatory for both sides due to salary restraints and cap room.

Ah yes, cap room. Remember that setting you tend to turn off when playing your franchise mode on NBA 2K so you can trade and acquire players freely? Yeah … you can’t actually do that in the NBA, and today’s rules regarding the first and second aprons are drastically impacting the thinking around the league regarding Butler and the trade market as a whole.

Trade rumors surrounding Butler and the Heat do not solely control this year’s deadline. After all, Miami has had a tough time finding any value for the six-time All-Star, and there are truly only a few teams that would actually entertain the idea of adding him. Still, the trade market remains pretty dormant compared to previous seasons due to the tax and apron implications that many organizations are attempting to maneuver around.

With less than two weeks to go until the 2025 NBA trade deadline, 15 total organizations find themselves hard-capped at the $178.1 million first apron threshold. These teams, which include the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and LA Clippers, are not allowed to exceed a payroll of $178.1 million this season due to the hard cap.

There are then nine teams, like the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, who are first-apron teams. Of these nine teams, four of them exceed the second apron and face tougher penalties. This list includes the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Phoenix Suns. Of course, the harshest penalty for second-apron teams, besides the lofty luxury taxes, is that they can’t aggregate salaries in trades.

Many of the restrictions first- and second-apron teams face have directly impacted the decline in trade chatter heading towards this year’s trade deadline. Even so, there is activity around the league because teams want to exit the tax, first apron, and second apron.

Let’s start by looking at those exceeding the $170.8 million tax threshold this season and thus are set to pay luxury taxes.

Teams seeking to move below tax, apron lines

The Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Atlanta Hawks are three teams within $1.2 million of the luxury tax line this season. All of these teams want to remain below this mark. The same can be said of the Memphis Grizzlies, who are $1.8 million below the luxury tax this season. With this said, Memphis would seriously pursue Cam Johnson if there is a deal to be had with Brooklyn, league sources told ClutchPoints.

In regards to the Hawks, there were early trade discussions this season surrounding De’Andre Hunter possibly being moved. There haven’t been any indications that this is the case anymore, sources said, as Hunter has been one of Atlanta’s most important players on the wing. Ahead of the trade deadline, Atlanta remains interested in adding another backcourt talent at a cheap price that can keep them below the tax line.

Even though these Eastern Conference teams will look to remain below the luxury tax threshold, other teams will be seeking to shed salary and avoid the taxes altogether.

The New Orleans Pelicans are one of these teams, and it continues to look very likely that this front office will cut salary, sources said. Daniel Theis and Javonte Green are two players on minimum contracts that can be moved to allow the Pelicans, who exceed the tax line by $2.1 million, to move below the tax.

There have been no new developments regarding Brandon Ingram on the trade market. Ingram, a former All-Star, is in the final year of his contract and appears to be taking his career in a new direction outside of New Orleans. Few teams have held direct conversations with the Pelicans about Ingram, and those conversations occurred well before the holiday season in December. It is always possible Ingram gets involved in a Butler scenario, but this continues to look unlikely.

While speaking of the Western Conference, the Mavericks and Clippers find themselves as teams dealing with intriguing situations. Los Angeles is about $2.5 million above the tax with an owner in Steve Ballmer, who does not care what price it takes for his team to win. It is certainly possible that the Clippers could look to move out of the tax if a trade they are seeking does not come about.

Everyone around the league knows that the Clippers want to move PJ Tucker and Bones Hyland to upgrade their frontcourt behind starting center Ivica Zubac. As a result, Chris Boucher and Jonas Valanciunas have remained the two centers most linked to LA, sources said.

Boucher, a lengthy and athletic big man who would help be a change-of-pace player behind Zubac, can easily be obtained in a deal of Tucker, Hyland, and second-round picks. This move would also see the Clippers move out of the tax. If Tucker is to be traded, the overwhelming expectation is that he would be bought out of his contract. The 39-year-old, sources said, could then choose to sign a minimum deal and likely finish his career with a playoff-contending team like the Suns.

Overall, not much has changed for the Clippers’ trade market. Collin Sexton, an early trade target of theirs, is a long-shot option at this point. Various teams have also inquired about Terance Mann’s availability, sources said, and have been met with no genuine interest from LA. There haven’t been any serious discussions centered around Mann in recent weeks. Of course, this could change in the blink of an eye before the trade deadline.

Since reaching the Western Conference Finals last season, much has changed for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns was moved to the New York Knicks, and the Wolves have taken a slight step back after acquiring Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. This is concerning when you consider that Minnesota owns the second-highest payroll in the league this season and is a second-apron team.

The Timberwolves are roughly $31 million over the tax line and about $16.1 million in the second apron with little room to adjust their roster ahead of the trade deadline. Although rival teams continue to ponder if Minnesota will look to dump salaries and try to cut their overall costs at the deadline, no real scenario has emerged at this time.

Julius Randle doesn’t hold a market, nor have the Wolves actively shopped him. On the contrary, Jaden McDaniels would hold a significant trade market with numerous potential suitors.

However, the Timberwolves have made it clear that they hold zero intentions of trading McDaniels. It is hard to look at Minnesota and believe that they can make significant changes before the offseason. Never say never, but the Timberwolves don’t appear to be aggressive on the trade market.

Another team that continues to underperform and could wind up making a few moves at the trade deadline is the Philadelphia 76ers. Daryl Morey and the Sixers went all-in this offseason when they added nine-time All-Star Paul George, yet this move has not worked out the way they had hoped. Not to mention, Joel Embiid has only played in 13 games due to various injuries. To keep things simple, the 76ers are a mess right now.

Philadelphia is currently $10.1 million over the tax line and will pay close to $17M in taxes if they don’t shed salary. At 15-27 and losers of seven straight games, will the Sixers really keep this roster together? There has been some talk of the 76ers being sellers, specifically regarding Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin, and KJ Martin. Plenty of teams would have serious interest in Caleb if the 76ers are willing to move him.

These are troubling times for Philadelphia.

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Making sense of Jimmy Butler trade scenarios 

Whether or not Butler will be traded is the question everyone around the league has been asking for weeks. The Feb. 6 trade deadline is almost here, and there is still no answer to this question.

Butler was suspended for two games by the Heat on Wednesday for missing a team flight to Milwaukee. The team put out a statement, claiming that the superstar forward was suspended again for “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team.”

Riley and the Heat are not holding back whatsoever, and they continue to search around the league for a swift end to their marriage with Butler. All options are on the table for Miami, but who is actually interested in Butler and can make a deal work for him?

It has been reported for weeks that the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets, two of Jimmy’s preferred destinations, are not interested in trading for him right now. That remains the case heading into the trade deadline. The same can be said about the Golden State Warriors, as they won’t be pursuing Butler because they hold no desire to trade Andrew Wiggins right now, multiple league sources said.

Golden State also doesn’t view a large package, which would include Jonathan Kuminga, for Butler as an upgrade that drastically changes their fate for the better right now. So, what could the Dubs possibly do before the NBA trade deadline?

This organization is still caught up between sacrificing assets to slightly increase its outlook or holding onto what they have to figure things out in the offseason.

An ounce of doubt has been cast from rival teams regarding the Warriors wanting to trade Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, two players on expiring contracts coming up in trade rumors. The Warriors still hold high regard for both championship-proven talents despite them being the easiest players for Golden State to move in trade talks. With this said, Nikola Vucevic remains a trade target the Dubs are interested in, sources said, yet they won’t increase their offer to pursue him.

Currently about $6 million above the tax line, the Warriors have some key decisions to make over the next two weeks.

Interest from the Suns for Butler is widely known around the league, and they are perhaps the only team with the easiest path on paper to getting him. Simply move Bradley Beal for Butler, and you got yourself a trade that works. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, as Beal has a no-trade clause, and the Heat don’t want him. That is why this Butler situation is like an endless knot that nobody can figure out how to untie.

Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and Memphis Grizzlies have been viewed as the most likely organizations that can help facilitate a Butler-to-Phoenix trade or simply pursue him themselves. At the same time, there hasn’t been any serious progress on four- or five-team trade talks because nobody wants Beal’s contract.

In the case of the Bucks and Grizzlies, a Butler trade seems unlikely for either of them. What Milwaukee has with Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis isn’t all that appealing to Miami, and it has been reported by several outlets that Butler holds no desire to go to Memphis. Could the Grizzlies still seize this opportunity to put together a lucrative offer for Butler and make a championship push?

The problem is that the Grizzlies would add the disgruntled star and nothing would change. Butler has made it clear that he doesn’t want to play in Memphis for some reason, and if the Grizzlies were to acquire him, they would do so knowing that a toxic situation could be passed to them. This would be a massive risk for general manager Zach Kleiman and his organization to take with the Grizzlies near the top of the West standings.

The Bucks are a second-apron team, meaning they would need to move Pat Connaughton to get into the first apron so they would be allowed to aggregate salaries. If Milwaukee does pursue this route and looks to cut at least $6.5 million to dip below the second apron, this would signal that they are ready to move on from Middleton to add a more dynamic scoring option next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

In December, word surrounding the Bucks was that they would only move Middleton in a deal for Butler. That has changed, sources said, due to Middleton’s decline and prolonged injury troubles. Keep a close eye on what Jon Horst and Milwaukee’s front office do over the next week regarding the possibility of moving out of the second apron.

If they do so and it’s not for a Butler trade, could the Bucks swing a deal for Jerami Grant and Robert Williams with the Portland Trail Blazers? This is one of a few scenarios beginning to emerge outside of being involved in a Butler deal that could play out for Milwaukee where Middleton’s tenure with the team ends.

As far as the Heat and Butler go, he still wants Phoenix. Unless the Bulls or Bucks are willing to take on Beal, which looks unlikely, the star forward won’t get his wish. Miami wants to move Butler right now for value and to remain competitive this season. If Riley truly wants to stick it to Butler and trade him anywhere, why not send him to the Washington Wizards with some draft capital for Malcolm Brogdon and Kyle Kuzma?

It would not be shocking to see Butler on the move before the NBA trade deadline given his most recent suspension and there being no way for the sides to settle this divorce. It also wouldn’t be shocking if the Heat weren’t able to trade Butler and had to figure out this mess in the offseason.

Lakers interested in Nikola Vucevic trade

Late Thursday evening, league sources informed ClutchPoints that the Lakers are still highly interested in Bulls center Nikola Vucevic. In fact, it would not be crazy to call Vucevic one of Los Angeles’ top targets ahead of the trade deadline.

It is no secret that the Lakers have been searching the market for possible frontcourt additions to pair with Anthony Davis, and Vucevic has been on the team’s radar for quite some time. Chicago continues to welcome interest in all of their players from teams, which is why nobody really knows what to expect from the Bulls at the trade deadline.

Will this organization be sellers? Will they be selective? Or will Chicago get cold feet and pull out of deals entirely, much like they did last season with Alex Caruso? Teams that have talked with the Bulls have been met with a “What are you offering?” mindset, leading to the uncertainty surrounding this organization.

With other teams also expressing interest in Vucevic, the Bulls are attempting to drive up his price in the form of a bidding war. At this time, nobody has been willing to offer up a first-round pick for the veteran center who is having a career year in Chicago. We will see if this changes over the next week or so leading up to deadline week.

Along with Vucevic, the Lakers remain interested in Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, sources said. Los Angeles held trade conversations with Washington regarding Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon before acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith for D’Angelo Russell and other assets. Kyle Kuzma was another Wizards player that the Lakers explored options of pursuing, but that ship has since sailed.

Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III is another option that the Lakers can explore outside of Vucevic and Valanciunas.

In any trade scenario that the Lakers pursue, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jalen Hood-Schifino would be the primary names included. Los Angeles has been hesitant to explore the possibility of trading Rui Hachimura or first-round draft assets.

Should the Lakers move Vanderbilt in a trade package to the Bulls for Vucevic, he is a player that Chicago would attempt to send elsewhere, sources said. A team like the Dallas Mavericks, who have been searching for athleticism and length on the wing, could consider being involved in this type of scenario. However, his injury concerns and longer contract would be problematic for Dallas. If the Mavs look to add another frontcourt option in the wake of Dereck Lively II’s injury, keep an eye on Jalen Smith as a buy-low target.

The Mavs are roughly $5.2 million over the luxury tax line, but it’s hard to imagine they would make a “dump” move at the trade deadline. This team continues to search the market for defensive-minded forwards, which is why Vanderbilt possibly being moved would raise some eyebrows in Dallas.

Along with holding known interest in Vucevic and Valanciunas, the Lakers have also expressed interest in Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler since the summer, sources said. The Utah Jazz hold a high asking price for Kessler and turned down various offers that included first-round assets from teams before the season. Perhaps the Lakers’ interest in other centers is an attempt at a leverage play to try and pursue Kessler. After all, the Utah center and Collin Sexton would be a dream scenario for Los Angeles.

It would undoubtedly take multiple first-round picks to get a deal done for any package where the Jazz would have to involve Kessler.

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Nuggets’ sneaky play for buyout market

Much like this season’s trade deadline as a whole, there isn’t expected to be a whole lot of major moves being made in the buyout market. However, that is not stopping teams from expressing a desire to move out of the first apron to keep their options open regarding possibly high-value buyout targets. The Denver Nuggets are one of those first-apron teams exploring ways to shed salary.

It is known around the league that Denver wishes to move out of the first apron, which they are about $5.6 million over. The main reason for doing so is because the Nuggets see a path to possibly reuniting with Bruce Brown.

Ahead of the trade deadline, the Toronto Raptors have been mentioned numerous times as sellers. Masai Ujiri and this front office are keeping their options to acquire draft assets open, hence why they have been included in potential Butler trade scenarios as a team to help facilitate salaries, specifically with the Heat holding interest in Brown.

The Raptors have maintained the mindset of wanting multiple second-round picks for Brown since he’s a valuable secondary player in the final year of his contract, sources said. Few teams have expressed genuine trade interest in the veteran due to his contract size and since the writing is on the wall regarding a possible buyout. Whereas Denver is linked to Brown as a buyout target, the Lakers have been interested in Brown as a trade target dating back to the offseason.

For the Nuggets to move below the first apron, they would need to move either Zeke Nnaji or a package of Dario Saric and a minimum-contract player like Vlatko Cancar. No team has shown interest in taking on Nnaji’s contract, which is why Denver would likely be forced to attach additional assets to unload him.

While they can’t move out of the second apron, the Celtics are another team exploring avenues to potentially save some money by trading Jaden Springer’s $4 million contract. Pelicans swingman Javonte Green is a player the Celtics hold interest in, sources said, but New Orleans doesn’t want to take back more money. The Bucks, Nuggets, and New York Knicks have also been mentioned as teams holding a level of interest in Green.

Whether it be for Brown or someone else, the Nuggets want to move out of the first apron to have flexibility in the buyout market.

In regards to the NBA buyout market, there are going to be very few options available. Brown could be a prime buyout candidate if he is not traded, and the same can be said for Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year won’t be with Washington for too much longer, as it’s expected that the two sides will part ways either by trade or a buyout, sources said.

Brogdon could command a strong market for teams seeking backcourt help if he were to be let go by the Wizards. The Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Clippers, and Hawks would all be attractive destinations for him.

Elsewhere, there are still no indications that Ben Simmons is a buyout candidate for the Brooklyn Nets. Of course, anything can happen and change once the trade deadline passes, but the Nets have maintained the mindset of not wanting to let Simmons go since the summer. It is hard to imagine they would have a rapid change of heart.

Other NBA trade deadline notes and intel

Charlotte Hornets: Several teams around the league have been in contact with the Charlotte Hornets regarding newly acquired wing Josh Okogie, sources said. Okogie is in the first year of a two-year, $16 million deal he signed with the Suns, but he does have a non-guaranteed clause in his contract for next season. His athleticism and defensive prowess are being targeted by some playoff-contending teams in the West, who would offer up more second-round assets to Charlotte to trade for him.

The Hornets are also gauging interest in Caleb Martin and Miles Bridges. To this point, no team has shown serious interest in Bridges. It does not appear as if the Hornets will be involved in contract buyouts unless they take on unwanted salaries for draft picks at the deadline.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Although they have been linked to a potential Cam Johnson trade, there is a belief that the Cleveland Cavaliers will look at options to move below the tax this season. Cleveland is currently $1.68M over the tax threshold, but they own the best record in the league at 36-7 overall. Would the Cavs’ front office really tinker with anything given where they are?

Detroit Pistons: There are still a handful of people around the league who believe that the Detroit Pistons will pull off an unexpected move to add another interesting talent to their roster, similar to what they did a season ago by trading for Simone Fontecchio out of the blue. The Pistons are clearly in the East playoff picture at 23-21 this season due to Cade Cunningham’s All-Star leadership and numbers.

Oklahoma City Thunder: There is a sense around the league that Chet Holmgren could return from his hip injury shortly after the All-Star break. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in no rush to bring Holmgren back from his right iliac wing fracture, yet he has been seen doing some light individual work behind the scenes. With Isaiah Hartenstein also missing time due to a recent calf injury, the Thunder have been left thin in their frontcourt. When Holmgren does return, he will slowly be eased back into things to avoid the risk of another injury.

Utah Jazz: John Collins and Collin Sexton continue to generate trade interest around the league, sources said. The Utah Jazz have discussed scenarios with multiple teams, and they continue to receive calls about center Walker Kessler as well. Kessler holds the highest asking price in Utah, which has led to no real traction on a trade. Jordan Clarkson has not generated much interest as of late, but he does have suitors. The injury to Dereck Lively II, as well as Spencer Dinwiddie’s positive performances, likely lessens the chances of Clarkson being traded to Dallas.

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