As December 15 nears, when players that signed this summer are eligible to be traded, we are starting to get some rumblings of big names that could be available on the market. Zach LaVine and Brandon Ingram are still very much on the block after the Bulls and Pelicans failed to find trades for their stars this summer, but joining them is Jimmy Butler as Miami has dragged its feet to start this season and the two sides never came close to an extension before the season.
Butler would be open to a trade to a contender, with his list starting with the Rockets, Mavs, and Warriors. Of those three teams, the Rockets and Warriors have the most interesting trade packages they could offer Miami, while a handful of other teams could get into the mix. For Golden State, the biggest question regarding their ability to land a much-coveted second star is their willingness to part with Jonathan Kuminga in a trade after failing to sign him to an extension prior to this season. Including him would be the fastest way to getting into serious discussions for Butler, but the Warriors may have their sights set on something even bigger.
According to Brian Windhorst, the Warriors still hold onto the dream of pairing LeBron James with Stephen Curry, and are hopeful that the Lakers situation continues to deteriorate to the point that James would change course on his determination to stay in L.A.
Jimmy Butler and LeBron James are two stars on the Warriors’ radar, per @windhorstespn 👀
Could you see either of them playing in Golden State? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/qrInvrqZiE
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 11, 2024
Golden State approached the Lakers last year about a LeBron trade, but that got shut down early on by Rich Paul. This year, if the Lakers show an unwillingness to make a big move themselves, perhaps James would be more willing to listen to the conversation. As Windy notes, the Warriors will want to make sure that “door is closed” before moving on someone else, so it seems likely that we have at least another month of trade rumblings and rumors to navigate before we really get close to substantial talks or an actual deal.