Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler finds himself at the center of trade rumors once again. After a potential move in the offseason did not happen, Butler began potentially his final season with the Heat. The Texas native has a player option for the 2025-26 NBA season. However, according to recent reports, signs point to Butler opting out of his deal. This would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. Recently, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that there are three possible destinations for Butler if the Heat decide to move on from him this season. Those teams are the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Dallas Mavericks. Since then, Charania also reported that the Phoenix Suns are a potential suitor for Butler, though the legitimacy of his report has been questioned.
NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein (subscription required) wrote about Butler’s likeliest destination if the Heat trade him. According to the insiders, the Warriors are the most likely team to trade for Butler.
League insiders continue to describe Golden State, as things currently stand, as the only team of the four most frequently mentioned as potential Jimmy Butler suitors as having an interest in the 35-year-old that could eventually lead to some substantive trade talks. Houston and Dallas have not registered tangible interest in a Butler trade pursuit while the aforementioned Suns could realistically only construct a workable offer for Butler if the Heat were willing to take on Bradley Beal. Miami, remember, had no shortage of reservations about Beal in the 2023 offseason and abruptly abandoned its interest in trading for him then, partly put off by the no-trade clause in Beal’s deal but also the sheer salary numbers involved.
NBA Insider Reveals Jimmy Butler’s Likeliest Trade Destination
Why the Golden State Warriors Are Interested in a Jimmy Butler Trade
The Warriors have had interest in making a big splash since at least last year’s trade deadline. After Klay Thompson departed and joined the Mavericks in the summer, many believed that the Warriors’ championship window had closed. However, the Warriors still have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the roster and are still contending. This has led to their front office wanting to make a move to add another star to maximize what championship window they still have remaining.
In the offseason, the Warriors reportedly pursued Lauri Markkanen and Paul George, though neither of those moves came to fruition. Furthermore, the Warriors reportedly attempted to trade for Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. This also did not happen. With few legitimate stars currently on the trading block, their sights naturally turned to Butler.
On paper, Butler could be a good fit in Golden State. He has NBA Finals experience and is a great two-way player. Like Curry and Green, he is also approaching the end of his career. It is unknown how active the Warriors are in pursuing Butler. However, it seems like the possibility of a trade for the Marquette alum is real for Golden State.
The Last Word
The trade deadline is still a couple of months away. Despite all the trade rumors, nothing is imminent regarding Butler. Additionally, the Heat are in a good spot right now. Through 23 games, they are 13-10 and own the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. While their success is largely due to Tyler Herro‘s career year and Bam Adebayo‘s presence, the Heat may not want to shake things up just yet. If the Heat end up trading Butler this season, it is fair to assume it will happen closer to the trade deadline.
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