Jimmy Butler has officially requested a trade from the Miami Heat, again in a rather dramatic manner, and the Heat suspended Butler for seven games due to “some conduct that was detrimental to the team” while proceeding with the trade. This is what the Warriors will do now that he has been suspended. It looks like they have a great chance to swoop in and grab the second star they need.
However, according to The Athletic, Golden State has no interest in Butler, who is simply too expensive, both in terms of the maximum amount of money the 35-year-old free agent is willing to make this summer and his hefty package price. You trade for him in the first place.
From The Athletic:
… For Butler, or anyone making anywhere near his salary range, the math to get a deal done is difficult. Acquiring him would require either Andrew Wiggins ($26.2 million) or Draymond Green ($24.1 million) to be part of a contract worth their annual salary, along with a handful of other role players.
Of the two, it’s expected to be Wiggins, but that’s part of the hesitation within the Warriors’ ranks. Wiggins returned to form as the team’s most reliable night-time perimeter defender, making 40 percent of his threes. He is well-liked by his teammates and coaches, and in a win-now environment, the Warriors maintain interest in a trade that would allow them to keep Wiggins on the team next to Curry and Green.
… While acknowledging Butler’s ability, sources within the locker room (as well as the Warriors’ coaching staff and front office) would rather keep their two best wings than acquire Butler.
In addition to Wiggins, who is primarily responsible for the financial part of the deal, the Heat need Jonathan Kuminga, who is currently the most anticipated future mainstay for the Warriors, and a future draft pick. That’s almost certain. Through the prism of the playoffs, what would the Warriors’ Nets gain by sacrificing their best two wings and adding a proven two-way postseason star?
Reasonable people may disagree with the answer to that question, but ultimately the Warriors, who have already acquired Dennis Schröder, are willing to make a low-cost trade that theoretically improves their chances of making the playoffs. There seems to be a tendency to pursue .
According to The Athletic, that player could be Chicago center Nikola Vucevic, who could stretch the floor for Curry, especially as a 3-point shooter, and the most viable overall lineup space is pretty tight. The Warriors offense is having a great season. .
Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson has also been mentioned as a potential target for the Warriors, but he would cost more. Again, teams like the Thunder and Kings could make a “more intense pursuit,” according to The Athletic. The Warriors have no interest in a bidding war. They’re looking to buy while stocks last, which could be a total steal.
Through that lens, what Vucevic says makes sense. He probably won’t catapult the Warriors into legitimate championship contender status, but he will take a lot of the offensive pressure off Curry and at least give the Warriors the impression of a team that hasn’t completely given up on this era. Probably.
Warriors fans won’t like it. They will see this as a move of appeasement rather than substance, which is probably a wise move. This team is probably farther from championship contention than fans would like to admit, and moving Butler too far may only further undermine the future the Warriors are trying to protect beyond Curry’s reign. Like it or not, it will come to an end sooner or later.
Looking for more NBA coverage from CBS Sports? Bill Reiter, Jon Gonzalez and other experts break down the league daily on their podcast Beyond the Arc.
