Among the many trade rumors and bits of speculation bubbling up around the Warriors, one has stood out as both particularly odd and particularly intriguing: the notion of the Dubs taking on Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. As a fit, Butler would bring the same kind of defensive grit and versatility on both ends as Draymond Green, while also maintaining a sterling reputation as a scorer and playoff performer.
The problem is, the Warriors have little idea whether Butler will be available on the trade market in the coming weeks. Heat president Pat Riley, while notably knocking Butler for his postseason injuries early last month during his season-ending press conference, was also asked directly if he would trade Butler.
“No,” Riley said, leaving little room for interpretation.
While, “no,” means there were no plans to trade Butler in May, few believe that Riley would not be flexible in the right circumstances. Butler wants a contract extension, slated to be worth $162 million over three seasons, and the Heat do not want to give it to him. Butler turns 35 in September, and the Heat do have some concerns about bringing in a younger star who more closely fits Bam Adebayo’s timeline.
Adebayo turns 27 next month.
“I don’t think anyone is sold on them trading away Jimmy Butler at this point. They have had their identity all tied up in Jimmy Butler since they got him and that would be a tough thing to untangle,” one NBA executive told Heavy Sports. “But sure seems like now could be the time.”
Jimmy Butler Could Have a Say in Trade Destination
If it is timeline that is the concern, then Butler would be an ideal player to team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green of the Warriors. Should the Heat and Butler reach an impasse over his extension, and should the Heat decide to deal Butler, they’ll give Butler the courtesy of being involved in picking his next team.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported last week that, “If the Heat shop Jimmy Butler, I would expect the Warriors to enter the conversation to at least some degree.”
“If they do it, if they look at trading him, they will listen to him, they’re not going to send him to Detroit or Portland or somewhere he doesn’t want to go. That’s just how you treat a veteran guy in that situation,” the exec said.
The Sixers are likely to be a team for whom Butler would like to play, but the Sixers would need a third team (or more) to get involved. Philly has cap space and a handful of future picks, but neither is going to do much to keep Miami competitive now.
The Knicks would have interest in Butler, but a deal would almost certainly involve Julius Randle, and the Heat don’t want to add Randle to their mix. The Warriors, though, have players Miami could use. That’s why they’d have to be a favorite if they decide to pursue Butler.
Warriors Would Have to Give up 2 Rising Young Players
But it would be costly, and essentially mortgage the Warriors’ future. Golden State would have to hope that the Heat would be willing to bet on a bounce-back season from Andrew Wiggins, but also would have to deal away two promising young players, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga.
That would sting. Kuminga, especially, has been coming into his own, at age 21. Moody is only 22. But those two players, along with Wiggins and further salary ballast constitutes what the exec calls a “Godfather” offer that the Heat would not be able to refuse.
“The Warriors are the team to watch for me because Miami does not want to rebuild. They want to retool around Bam. If the Warriors did the “Godfather” offer, they could keep Miami competitive, get them younger, get them in a better spot,” he said.
“And Jimmy would OK playing with Steph Curry and Draymond (Green) and Steve Kerr, you’d assume. If he gets traded, it’s a small list. The Warriors have the best assets to make it happen.”
