Warriors Trade Pitch Would Flip Podziemski, Kuminga for $146 Million Star

The Golden State Warriors sit atop the Western Conference standings roughly 20% of the way through the regular season because of the incredible depth the front office employs around star talent Stephen Curry.

However, the Dubs may do well to deal some of that depth away for a second superstar ahead of the NBA's early February trade deadline.

Golden State has already inquired with the Miami Heat about star forward Jimmy Butler, who has led that organization to three Eastern Conference Finals appearances and two trips to the NBA Finals across the last half decade.

The Heat and Butler were unable to come to terms on an extension over the summer, so while Butler's $146.4 million contract technically runs through the 2025-26 campaign, he has a player option on the final year and can opt out next offseason.

That, plus Miami's likely status as a middling Eastern Conference team in 2024-25, argues for the Heat to deal Butler to a franchise like the Warriors and bring back young talent along with draft picks in return.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report on Friday, Nov. 22, authored a trade pitch that would see that deal done.

The proposal would see the Warriors send the Heat Brandin Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, De'Anthony Melton and Gui Santos, along with a first-round pick in 2028 and second-round selections in 2026 and 2028. Miami would send Golden State Butler and Kevin Love.

"If the Heat don't trust Butler to stay healthy often enough to justify the cost of his next contract, they might be ready to reshape their roster around Bam Adebayo," Buckley wrote. "If the Warriors are convinced Stephen Curry needs a co-star to make a championship run, they probably aren't doing better in this market than Butler. ... Butler has the experience to adjust on the fly, the playmaking ability to help bring even more out of Curry and the competitive fire to form a kindred-spirit type of bond with Draymond Green."

Buckley also pitched Love as a meaningful fit for the Warriors' offense.

"Love's range, vision and IQ have always made him an on-paper fit for this system," he continued.

Melton is now done for the season due to an ACL surgery, which could change the math on Buckley's proposal slightly. But even without Melton included, Buckley's trade package ravages the depth on the Warriors' roster -- particularly at the wing position.

That said, Golden State has made it clear that it is interested in making a blockbuster move for a star, as the team openly searched for such a deal all summer. The Warriors want to pull the trigger on a second banana while Curry remains an elite performer, so if the franchise believes Butler is that guy, then there's a chance Buckley's deal (or one that looks similar to it) could develop over the next six weeks.

This particular iteration of the deal in question couldn't occur until after Dec. 15, however, as that is when Love becomes trade eligible.