Disgruntled star wing, Jimmy Butler, is now on the move. The Miami Heat have reportedly traded him to the Golden State Warriors. It should also be noted that Butler has declined his 25-26 player option in order to sign a two-year contract extension with the Warriors. In exchange, Miami will receive Andrew Wiggins and a protected 2025 first-round draft pick. The Toronto Raptors will receive Kyle Anderson. Dennis Schroder will also be sent to the Utah Jazz and the Jazz will send P.J. Tucker to the Heat. Golden State will send Lindy Waters III to the Detroit Pistons while Josh Richardson will go from Miami to Detroit. It should also be noted that Golden State had been searching all season long for an All-Star caliber player to pair with Steph Curry. They now have that with Jimmy Butler coming into the fold.
Golden State Warriors Acquire Jimmy Butler From the Miami Heat
Golden State’s Outlook With Jimmy Butler
On paper, the Warriors have a solid roster. They now boast a star trio of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. The kicker? All three players are getting older and there are questions about the fit of the new core. Butler has been an inconsistent three-point shooter at 33.0 percent from beyond the arc for his career.
Considering Golden State’s offensive scheme is predicated on floor spacing and perimeter shooting, the fit could be a bit awkward. Still, Butler will bring an extra defensive element alongside Draymond Green that could be beneficial come Play-In Tournament time. He will also take some scoring pressure off of Steph Curry. However, Butler has not played over 65 games since the 2018-19 campaign. The Warriors know their title window is rapidly closing with Curry aging. The team certainly gained some grit with the addition of Butler, but the offense will be somewhat of a question mark going forward.
A New-Look Miami Heat Squad
It is looking like it is time for the Heat to go into a rebuilding phase. Bam Adebayo is a solid star, but it is difficult to envision him as an alpha on a championship team. Miami now lacks a true superstar. Say what you will about Jimmy Butler, but he was the one player they could turn to in clutch situations who could make the winning plays on a consistent basis. Still, one should never count out Miami Heat president, Pat Riley. He always finds a way to re-tool his rosters to make them competitive. Considering all of this, expect the Heat to answer some difficult questions in the coming days.
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