The Los Angeles Lakers could be the surprise third team that helps the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat agree on a Jimmy Butler trade.

If the Heat keeps Butler past Feb. 6 and he opts out, Miami could either use a $14 million midlevel exception and a $5.1 million bi-annual exception or use about $13 million in cap space (which swells to $23 million if Robinson is released early this summer).

Q: Would current offers duplicate what the Heat has already? The rumored swaps offer marginal upgrades over what’s in the development pipeline. Are Heat going to take Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Alec Burks out of the rotation? Or stop developing Pelle Larsson? – Leonard, Charlotte.

Miami will suspend Butler for two games, ESPN's Shams Charania reports. According to Charania, Butler missed a team flight Wednesday, so the Heat will respond with a two-game suspension that will force him to miss Thursday's game against the Bucks and Saturday's game against the Nets.

A: Based on all the narratives out there, of the moves have and have not been made, by now it is clear that Jimmy Butler has not been of the thought that Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are ample enough to get him across the championship finish line.

Even as Jimmy Butler wants to get out, even as the Miami Heat want to get him out, the reality is that there might not be an easy out . . . as the NBA counts down to the 3 p.m. Feb. 6 NBA trading

As is tradition, we here at The Bounce hand out the highest honors when the regular season ends, but we also do so at midseason! Just so you know: The Bouncies are among basketball’s most prestigious awards — not just anybody can receive this honor.

SportsLine's model has simulated the Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks matchup 10,000 times and revealed its NBA picks for Thursday

We're two weeks away from the deadline, and new names who could have a market have emerged. But No. 1 remains the same.

The Knicks and Nuggets are surging, while the Warriors watch their window close. Meanwhile, the Cavs and Thunder have their business on lock.

The Miami Heat on Friday suspended forward Jimmy Butler seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks."