Though the strength of schedule over this span hasn’t necessarily been impressive, Phoenix has been better recently, winning nine of its last 13 games. So, as the team continues its pursuit of Jimmy Butler, the Suns (24-22) are moving their way up the standings.

No matter how badly the Phoenix Suns may want Jimmy Butler, there just doesn't seem to be a viable way for them to get him. Nobody wants the Bradley Beal contract. Even if someone did, Beal himself doesn't seem eager to drop his no-trade clause to help the Suns dump him.

The Miami Heat are suspending, Jimmy Butler for a minimum of five additional games, calling this latest suspension indefinite. He left the team today after being told he would not

Last week's rematch between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder was all but certainly going to determine which team would take the No. 1 spot this week, and ... yeah ... OKC basically snatched it from Cleveland's hands with a 20-point win that was nowhere near that close.

The Thunder have all they need to win as constructed now, but adding Johnson would elevate them to another level as far as the current contenders go. Johnson is an elite 3-and-D wing who has had a solid season thus far.

Who is going to make a move that puts them closer to an NBA title? Six trades we want to see before the February 6 trade deadline:

The Heat continues efforts to try to fulfill Butler’s trade request before next week’s trade deadline but is determined not to take back sizable contracts that run past next season, according to

Windhorst speculates Fox prefers the San Antonio Spurs, but other teams, such as the Heat, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic, could also be on his list. The news of Fox’s trade request from the Kings broke Tuesday night following a 110-96 win against the Brooklyn Nets after a pair of losses to the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks.

The NBA trade deadline is not until Feb. 6, but the buzz around notable players and teams is building. Keep an eye on players such as Jimmy Butler, Cameron Johnson, and Zach LaVine, who'll be linked to possible trades. One team to watch is the Phoenix Suns, who have stayed busy in January, making two trades while remaining in the mix for Butler.

The expected trade that will send Jimmy Butler out of Miami has been reported to have multiple pieces. Phoenix appears to be the likely destination for the form

The NBA trade deadline is, for most teams, an exercise in resource-management. Take the Phoenix Suns. They are so desperate for the flexibility to make moves that they just traded one great first-round pick for three bad ones.