The Golden State Warriors have a mutual interest in acquiring Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler. However, their interest is not high enough to compel them to trade their former All-Star Andrew Wiggins for him at the moment.
Warriors want Andrew Wiggins out of Jimmy Butler deal
Per ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Warriors will likely pass on a deal for Butler if the Heat require Wiggins in return (h/t NBA Central):
“Right off the bat, Andrew Wiggins would need to be included in any structure of a Butler deal, which is something the Warriors are not sold on, sources said. Wiggins has been a huge part of the team’s core since arriving during the 2019-20 season, and the former first-overall pick is having arguably his best season since Golden State won their last title in 2022.”
Warriors desire Butler next to Wiggins & other stars
In a perfect world, bringing Butler on board would only maximize the tail end of the Warriors’ championship window if Wiggins rounds out their potential big four alongside superstar Stephen Curry and anchor Draymond Green. Ingratiating Butler into the mix without Wiggins’ in town would counteract their pressing need for a third elite shot-maker.
Wiggins may be too key to Warriors’ MO to let go of
Wiggins is playing well for Golden State this season. The Kansas product’s 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and one steal per game are nearly an exact carbon copy of the peripherals he boasted in his lone All-Star campaign back in 2021-22. He’s doing so in only 28.6 minutes a night while shooting a career-high 42.7 percent from three-point range.
The Canadian talent gives the Dubs underrated rebounding, excellent scoring from all three zones of the floor, and stout on-ball defense. Butler does much of the same, while being one of the more remarkable playoff performers in recent years. While the Marquette product would also drastically improve the Warriors in the distribution department and amplify their fast break attack, Golden State will need to put together a sizable trade package excluding Wiggins to stack their deck and acquire the former ahead of the trade deadline.
