The NBA trade deadline hardly kicked off, and it had already started taking a toll on the league officials. And now that Adrian Wojnarowski is gone, it all squared down to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Recently, Charania went viral for recreating Jimmy Butler’s iconic pose after the deadline commenced. The photo, taken right after he broke the news about the stunning Butler trade, has taken the internet by storm. After the trade deadline concluded, a visibly exhausted Charania posed for a humorous photo. He imitated an exhausted Jimmy Butler while keeping his shoulders down and leaning with both hands on the sofa.
.@ShamsCharania after the trade deadline 😭
— ESPN (@espn) February 6, 2025
Wildest deadline in NBA history? pic.twitter.com/nvUlttZMSO
However, the timing of the mimicking couldn’t be better. It came in the wake of about two months long back and forth on the former Miami Heat star’s trade rumors. As per multiple reports, Charania was up till the whole night when the trades were taking place. It was one of the most hectic times of his analyst career.
The 30-year-old has been the top man in terms of the most credible sources for NBA trades. When the Dallas Mavericks were in conversation with the LA Lakers for the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, it was Charania who broke the news. And it was no surprise that the busy tradesmith was the one behind breaking up Jimmy Butler’s Warriors trade. As reported by sources, Shams Charania makes as many as 500 calls and a few hundred text messages on a daily basis. Just imagine the reciprocity.
Shams Charania First Reported About Kevin Durant’s Commitment To The Suns
While Butler was still in the mix to find his way out of the Heat, Kevin Durant’s linkup with the Warriors picked pace. However, soon after the rumor went on air, the analogy was dispelled. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the superstar forward is fully committed to the Phoenix Suns.
Charania emphasized that Durant had never made a trade request and was focused on helping the Suns succeed as they sail through the season. Earlier, Durant was directly linked with a reunion with Stephen Curry or getting traded to the Heat.
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There was a deal in place that would have sent Kevin Durant to Golden State, Jimmy Butler to Phoenix, and Andrew Wiggins to Miami, but Durant stepped in to shut it down, per @WindhorstESPN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025
(🎥 @GetUpESPN )
pic.twitter.com/dMXP39kiIH
The Durant-Heat saga gained momentum in mid-December when the Miami Heat openly expressed interest in moving Butler. As various teams participated in conversations about potential trades, the Suns found themselves at the center of rumors about Durant. Charania noted that while the Warriors were eager to bring Durant back, the player made it clear he had no interest in returning to his former team.
So now that the most anticipated trades have been done and drafted, Charania can finally take a sigh of relief. He can now fully focus on his reporting for ESPN.
Also Read: Why Jimmy Butler Will Change His Jersey Number With The Golden State Warriors? Find Out
