Jimmy Butler's tumultuous tenure with the Miami Heat has reached its inevitable conclusion, as the six-time NBA All-Star has reportedly been traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a protected first-round draft pick, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
As part of the blockbuster deal, the Warriors' Lindy Waters III and Miami's Josh Richardson will be moving to the Detroit Pistons. Schroder will then be sent to the Utah Jazz, while veteran PJ Tucker is on his way to South Beach. Anderson had initially been reported to be heading to the Toronto Raptors, but Charania adds that he'll be remaining with the Heat for the time being.
A NEW BIG THREE IN THE BAY 🤝
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 6, 2025
Jimmy Butler is a Golden State Warrior 😲 pic.twitter.com/LsQzMOhPg3
Butler has also agreed to a two-year, $121-million contract extension that will keep him with Golden State through the 2026-27 season, he'll be declining his 2025-26 player option to facilitate the extension.
What Does Acquiring Jimmy Butler Means For The Golden State Warriors?
Updated Warriors NBA Championship Odds: +4400
The major takeaway here is that Butler is locked into his new surroundings moving forward, as reports had emerged initially that the 35-year-old wing had communicated to the Warriors that he had no intention of re-signing. Things obviously changed, and Butler's career may very well end in the Bay Area when its all said and done as he joins the championship-proven tandem of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Golden State had long desired another superstar-like talent to pair alongside Curry to maximize his remaining years, and while a postseason berth isn't guaranteed for a team barely hanging on to the final spot in the play-in tournament, bringing aboard Butler increases the likelihood that it sneaks in by any means necessary. Another positive is that the team didn't need to get rid of any of their young core pieces to facilitate this trade, mainly Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski.
"Playoff Jimmy" is a real thing, and his presence improves the Warriors' ceiling exponentially. His health has been a red flag in recent years, as Butler hasn't suited up for more than 64 games since 2019, but he hoisted the Heat on his back multiple times for deep playoff runs and put his body through the ringer to make it happen.
There are obvious concerns with Butler's attitude, as this entire ugly divorce from Miami ended with multiple suspensions due to conduct detrimental to the team. This isn't the first time he's had a rough exit from a franchise either, as his departures from the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Philadelphia 76ers were anything but smooth. Then again, leaving the Heat to join a team with title aspiration is exactly what he wanted. There's no reason to think he won't be on his best behavior ... for now, anyway.
Warriors' Trade Grade: A
What Does Trading Jimmy Butler Mean For The Miami Heat?
Updated Heat NBA Championship Odds: +30000
It means their headache can finally subside. Everyone from the front office down to the players on the roster were ready for some sort of resolution to manifest, and now they can move forward and leave the past behind.
The fact that this even unfolded how it did is surprising, though, as Butler seemingly only wanted to be a member of the Phoenix Suns, but this new extension obviously indicates that his mentality has quickly shifted.
Wiggins is 29 years of age and six years younger than Butler, and his numbers have shown improvement year over year. He's producing 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, and should slot in seamlessly into head coach Erik Spoelstra's starting lineup alongside Bam Adebayo, Kel'el Ware, and newly-minted All-Star Tyler Herro.
Along with a first-round pick, which is top-10 protected mind you, Miami couldn't have asked for a better haul considering the rocky circumstances. They're still a middle-of-the-pack team in the Eastern Conference, but everyone can finally take a deep breath and press on, and that alone is worth its weight in gold.
Heat Trade Grade: B+
