Sources: Why Warriors still aren't interested in Jimmy Butler trade

01/28/2025 02:29 PM

No matter where you look, you can’t escape Jimmy Butler’s trade rumors. With the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline approaching, the Miami Heat are pressed for time to make a massive decision on the star’s future, especially after suspending him for the third time this season. Although the Phoenix Suns have been mentioned as the top destination for Butler, several other organizations have also been mentioned as possible suitors, including the Golden State Warriors.

In the midst of a whirlwind offseason where the Dubs attempted to trade for stars like Lauri Markkanen and Paul George, Butler was another player the organization held conversations about, league sources told ClutchPoints. Due to the Heat holding no interest in testing Butler’s market, no framework of a trade ever materialized.

As time went on and Butler failed to reach a contract extension agreement with the Heat, talk of his eventual departure grew larger. After the Warriors’ 12-3 start to the season rapidly turned into them becoming a .500-level team, Golden State again reached out to the Heat to inquire about Butler. These conversations were held in November, sources said, with little progress being made.

Now, with the NBA trade deadline just nine days away, Miami is very motivated to get a trade done involving Butler and receive any assets they possibly can that keep them in a position to compete in the Eastern Conference. The Heat have also prioritized maintaining long-term financial flexibility in a possible trade, as the idea of taking on long-term salaries isn’t all that appealing to them.

The Warriors are once again appearing in rumors about a potential Butler trade with the Heat aggressively shopping the six-time All-Star. However, the ideology behind adding Butler next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green has changed drastically since earlier this season.

While Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor lists the Warriors as a team that could get back in the Jimmy Butler mix, various sources have told ClutchPoints that a trade is still unlikely. The main reason for this — Golden State doesn’t see a path where surrendering valuable assets like Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga for Butler makes them any better now or in the near future.

The bottom line regarding Butler is that he wants to get paid. That is why issues originally started with the Heat, and that is why it’s known that Butler wants to retire with any new team he potentially gets traded to.

Wherever Butler ends up, he will seek an extension and new contract to finish his career. The Warriors are not looking to tie themselves down to long-term, max-level deals, which is one of the glaring reasons why trading for Butler isn’t on their agenda.

Financially, the Warriors are limited in terms of moves they can make at the trade deadline. This team is hard-capped at the $178.1 million first-apron threshold, and they are roughly $330,000 below this mark. The expiring contracts of Dennis Schroder, Kevon Looney, and Gary Payton II could be flipped for value, yet there hasn’t been any real traction on deals for Golden State leading up to the trade deadline.

An ounce of doubt has also been cast from rival teams regarding the Warriors wanting to actually trade Looney and Payton, two championship-proven players the organization holds high regard for. Due to this notion, as well as the Warriors’ lack of interest in dealing either Wiggins or Kuminga this season, there is skepticism that the Warriors will look to make a drastic roster change in the coming week.

Outside of Butler rumors, Golden State has been linked to Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic. Ahead of the trade deadline, the Bulls have been seeking a first-round pick for Vucevic, sources said. This is something the Warriors have not yet offered, nor are they planning to in trade discussions for the veteran center. Toronto Raptors stretch big man Kelly Olynyk is another player on Golden State’s radar, yet the Raptors are seeking more than one second-round pick for him, sources said, which could also be outside the Dubs’ price range.

While there are smaller moves that the Warriors can make ahead of the trade deadline, this organization is operating with caution in the sense that they won’t leverage assets just for the sake of making a deal. Since no realistic trades to improve their outlook have presented themselves at this time, it continues to look unlikely that the Warriors will be aggressive at the trade deadline.

With this said, the idea of Golden State seriously pursuing Butler is nothing more than an old dream coming to light. Unless there is a massive change of heart in the final 24 hours leading up to the NBA trade deadline, the Warriors will not be involved in pursuing a trade with the Heat for Butler.

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