Warriors reportedly back in Jimmy Butler sweepstakes

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Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors will certainly look to make additions to their roster with them slipping in the Western Conference standings after their strong start. They are currently one game below .500 and 11th in the West, so they will need to pair Stephen Curry with another star if they wish to go on a playoff run.

Warriors back in the mix for Jimmy Butler

The top trade candidate on the market is Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler. The disgruntled star is currently suspended indefinitely by the Heat with a continued pattern of detrimental conduct and the team appears ready to move on from Butler as soon as possible.

With that increased urgency, his price on the market has dropped. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor reported on Tuesday that the Warriors are now “back in the mix” to acquire Butler in a trade with his price lowered.

Butler would give the Warriors a second-star

The Warriors could strongly benefit from adding Butler, as they have been looking for another superstar to play alongside Curry for the past few seasons. Curry’s time in the league is approaching its end, which means the organization is running out of time to create a winning team with this current group.

Feb 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) dribbles the ball up court in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Bringing in Butler would cause a major shakeup to the team, as it would likely cost at least one young piece such as Brandin Podziemski or Johnathan Kumings along with multiple draft picks. However, it could be a shakeup that is worth doing given their current situation.

Golden State is desperate to upgrade their roster after they cooled off following their strong start. Adding Butler also would provide them with another high-level playoff performer, meaning that he and Curry could become an unstoppable duo out West should they make the playoffs.

Bringing in Butler has plenty of risks

The risks that come with doing such a trade are obvious. Butler’s drama with the Heat is nothing new, as he endured a similar fallout with the Minnesota Timberwolves several years ago. That situation resulted in him being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, followed by him signing a long-term deal with the Heat in 2019.

Oct 27, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) drives past Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The spotlight would suddenly be on the Warriors much more by adding a player who has been in a bunch of drama, and that attention could become a distraction if the team were to struggle with Butler.

Additionally, from a basketball standpoint, trading many assets for potentially only half a season of Butler could spell disaster for Golden State. He is set to hit free agency this summer, and his demands could potentially be bigger than what teams are willing to offer him. That could affect Golden Stare drastically if they are unable to meet those demands to retain Butler.

Nevertheless, if the Warriors decide to go all in this year, Butler could be a player of interest that will get them to where they want to be. The trade deadline is set for Feb. 6.

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