In the pantheon of strange bedfellows amid the Miami Heat’s ongoing differences with Jimmy Butler, frequent critic Charles Barkley emerging as Heat supporter adds another layer to the unexpected. With the Heat featured on TNT on Thursday night (albeit somewhat briefly,

Charles Barkley has a message for disgruntled (and suspended) Heat forward Jimmy Butler: You’re not going to outsmart Pat Riley in this stare-down between alpha males.

NBA legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal have different opinions on Jimmy Butler's scuffle with the Miami Heat.

As always, the NBA trade deadline provides ample storylines, with marquee names potentially on the move, contenders looking to bolster their respective rosters for a playoff push and some organizations fully committing to a second-half tank. The major storylines currently captivating the NBA community are:

The flirtation between Jimmy Butler and the Phoenix Suns has gotten to the point that neither side is trying to hide it with the Feb. 6 NBA trade