The Golden State Warriors have been looking for a second star to pair with Stephen Curry for months, but the team has to be selective, which is a big reason why no deal has happened yet.
Golden State doesn't want to part with Curry, Draymond Green or second-year guard Brandin Podziemski, which limits the assets the franchise has to deal with competing franchises ahead of the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline. That said, circumstances for some teams have changed meaningfully since the summer, which theoretically opens some doors for the Dubs.
Atop the list of franchises that may be legitimately interested in dealing a star-level talent is the Miami Heat. Miami must decide how it will proceed with forward Jimmy Butler, a six-time All-Star who has led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances and a third Eastern Conference Finals berth in the previous five years.
Butler, 35, is aging and has struggled with injury issues that have held him to 60 regular season games played, or fewer, in four of his five campaigns in Miami. Still, Butler wanted a contract extension this summer with two years remaining on his $146.4 million deal.
Heat brass declined to offer that extension, and Butler subsequently said he would no longer sign a new deal until next summer -- regardless of which team might offer it. Butler has a player option on the 2025-26 season, meaning he can become an unrestricted free agent in a matter of months and leave Miami for nothing.
Thus, while the Heat would have had considerable leverage in trade talks for Butler back in July and August, the negotiating paradigm has shifted significantly in December and January.
Sean Deveney of Athlon Sports authored a trade proposal on Wednesday, Dec. 11, that flips Butler along with Haywood Highsmith and Thomas Bryant to the Warriors in return for Andrew Wiggins, De'Anthony Melton, Kevon Looney, Kyle Anderson and a 2026 second-round pick via the Atlanta Hawks.
"The Warriors' depth has been impressive, but the team is well aware that you don't win in the playoffs with depth," Deveney wrote. "That's why the Warriors have been active in trade talks, hoping to get a veteran star to help [Curry] put a strong finish on his career."
An unnamed Eastern Conference executive told Deveney that the deal he pitched is one the Heat "must say yes to" given the assets Miami would get back and Butler's diminishing trade value as he nears the cusp of unrestricted free agency.
Related: Golden State Warriors Could Sign Jimmy Butler in Blockbuster Trade with Miami Heat
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This story was originally published December 12, 2024, 4:27 AM.