The Golden State Warriors struggled throughout the first half of this season, and everyone knew they needed a legitimate second star alongside Stephen Curry. Just before the trade deadline, they got their man when they landed six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Heat.
Even better, they didn't give up a ton to get Butler. The Warriors only surrendered Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters III, a 2025 first-round draft pick and a 2031 second-round draft pick.
They have gone 12-1 with Butler in the lineup (he missed their March 1 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers), and some are now starting to consider them dark horse championship contenders.
Golden State guard Buddy Hield, however, wishes something had gone a bit differently with the Butler trade. He said that he thought it should have been him included in the deal instead of Wiggins.
"When guys were traded, it was a rough day for [Warriors coach Steve Kerr]," Hield said Wednesday on 95.7 The Game's "Steiny & Guru." "Especially with Wiggs, it was emotional in that locker room. I was even more emotional because I wish it was me that got traded because Wiggs did so much for this franchise. For a guy like that, I hated to see him go like that because he's done so much for this franchise.
"And I said, 'Man, I wish that was me,' because he's put his mark on this franchise, and I know how much he meant to this franchise and the city of San Fran."
Wiggins had been a key cog for the Warriors dating back to the 2019-20 season, and he greatly expanded his game to the point where he was a major reason they won the NBA title in 2021-22.
It's certainly admirable for Hield to shout out Wiggins' contributions to the team. However, it now needs players who fit well around Butler and Stephen Curry, and Hield is clearly a better fit than Wiggins, since he is a natural 3-point sniper, while Wiggins is more of a one-on-one player who needs the basketball in his hands.
One could even see Butler as a major upgrade over Wiggins. The 14-year veteran is a master of the midrange game and one of the NBA's deadliest players in crunch time, and therefore, the Warriors just may surprise people in the playoffs.
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This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 12:50 AM.