Brian Windhorst theorizes that K.D. and Jimmy could be moved in trade involving up to 5 teams, maybe 12 players

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Two of the more marquee players in the NBA who have seen their names thrown around in trade rumors leading up to the trade deadline this season have been Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant.

It’s been an open secret for a while now that Butler wants out of Miami, and according to a report from NBA insider Grant Afseth on Tuesday, there is “increasing belief” in the premise that Durant will land with the Golden State Warriors.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst theorized on Wednesday that Butler and Durant could both be moved in the same trade that would involve multiple teams and numerous players.

“They have now begun entertaining, ‘Should we trade Kevin Durant?'” Windhorst said of the Suns. “And they have begun those discussions across the league. Now, I’d like to shift you to the Bay: 25-24, veteran team, underachieving, difficult time trading for a star.

“They’ve been looking for a year for a star, looking for LeBron [James], for Paul George, for [Lauri] Markkanen, all these things. Very aggressive owner who can’t stand this. I am describing to you how this began.

“And so now, we have the Warriors and Suns discussing the possibility of bringing Kevin Durant back, okay? I am not gonna sit here and even begin to project or guess as to how this may go down. Is it possible Kevin Durant could be traded to the Warriors? Yes. Will it happen? I’m not afraid to say I don’t know.

“This is potentially a three-, four-, five-team transaction. It could involve like a dozen other players because that’s the nature of the way NBA trades. It could involve Jimmy Butler because it is possible, guys, that the Suns could acquire Jimmy Butler, but not for Brad Beal, but for Kevin Durant.

“And so that after a month of trying to pair them together, they could end up, in an elaborate way, being traded for each other. But I gotta tell you, as you can hear, as I describe this, it sounds complicated, it is. So, I do not wanna imply that anything’s gonna happen.”

Considering the blockbuster trades that have happened lately across the league, perhaps fans wouldn’t be all that shocked if the type of trade that Windhorst outlined did come to fruition. After all, some of the top players in the league have changed teams just in the last few days.

Luka Doncic is now teammates with James on the Los Angeles Lakers, and Anthony Davis is a member of the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. Additionally, in a three-team trade involving the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, De’Aaron Fox was shipped off to San Antonio while Zach LaVine landed with the Kings.

It also seems as if Butler and Durant could benefit from scenery changes. They’re both nearing the end of their pro careers and seemingly don’t have great chances to win at a high level with their current teams.

The Heat and Suns are hovering around the .500 mark on the season. Miami owns a record of 24-24 while Phoenix is 25-24. Additionally, neither team would be guaranteed a playoff spot if the campaign ended today, as they’re both in play-in territory in their respective conferences.

Fortunately for Heat fans, they will soon know whether or not Butler will finish the season as a member of the team, as the Feb. 6 trade deadline is only one day away. If he does get dealt, the Heat and their fans will be able to put all of the drama between Butler and the organization behind them.

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Jesse is a 23-year-old sports journalist with extensive experience covering the NBA.