Bradley Beal started the second half for Dunn, who replaced him in the starting lineup beginning Jan. 6 at Philadelphia. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer moved Jusuf Nurkic and Beal to the bench starting that game.

The Phoenix Suns’ 2024-25 season has begun with all the drama of a hostage situation, and the one scenario we dreaded most has become our reality. The Suns are the Nakatomi Tower, and Bradley Beal? He’s Hans Gruber,

The Suns acquired Beal from the Wizards in the summer of 2023 in a deal that sent Chris Paul to the Wizards. The three-time All-Star left Washington second on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with 15,391 points in 11 seasons, just 160 points behind Elvin Hayes.

It worked for Chris Paul. It worked for Al Horford ... in the second chance that the Phoenix Suns are offering them in Bradley Beal. Yes, yes, I know, the circumstances are not perfectly analogous.

Bradley Beal started the second half for Dunn ... who acquired him in the summer of 2023 in a trade that sent Chris Paul to the Wizards. Beal is likely to get the starting nod Monday night ...

The Phoenix Suns have four bigs on the roster, including newly acquired 7-footer Nick Richards. Nurkic was moved to the bench earlier this month.

NBA fans have finally reached the second half of the 2024-25 season, but we do not have a consensus on the top two or three candidates for the Rookie of the Year award.

Butler was informed at shootaround that he would come off the bench behind Haywood Highsmith in this game, which prompted Butler to walk out of shootaround. From there, the Heat suspended Butler “indefinitely,” a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic and since confirmed by the team.

It would be good, bad and ugly. Butler is exactly the alpha male the Suns need inside the locker room. He is exactly the kind of teammate that brings out the best in Kevin Durant. He is a basketball assassin, and Butler would deliver all the smoldering intensity and true grit the Suns frequently lack.

Almost every team gets involved with NBA trade deadline deals in the modern era. So, what trades should each team make?

HoopsHype ranks the 10 players who have appeared most often in trade rumors over the previous week, including De’Aaron Fox and more.

While Fox would work as a fit for a Heat roster lacking a significant contribution at point guard since the declining play and then trade a year ago of Kyle Lowry, that math at the moment appears beyond the Heat’s means, unless Butler is part of such an equation.