Sources: Butler Traded from Heat to Warriors, Set to Sign New Contract

Sources: Butler Traded from Heat to Warriors, Set to Sign New Contract

The Jimmy Butler era with the Miami Heat came to a close on Wednesday evening when he was traded to the Golden State Warriors in a multi-team mega-deal, sources confirmed to ESPN.

The Warriors finalized the trade after their efforts to acquire Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant fell through when Durant informed the team he didn’t wish to return to Golden State. The Heat, Warriors, and Suns were in talks about a deal that would have sent Butler to Phoenix and Durant back to Golden State, where he won championships in 2017 and 2018.

As part of the agreement, Butler will forgo his $52 million player option for next season and is expected to sign a new two-year, $111 million contract that will run through the 2026-27 season, sources added.

The Warriors will send forwards Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson, along with a top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick, to the Heat. Guard Dennis Schroder, acquired by the Warriors in December, will head to the Utah Jazz. In return, the Jazz will send forward P.J. Tucker—who played for the Heat during the 2021-22 season—to Miami. Guard Lindy Waters III will also move from Golden State to the Detroit Pistons, while Josh Richardson will go from Miami to Detroit.

Multiple details of the trade were still being finalized as of Wednesday night.

The deal was confirmed while the Heat played the 76ers in Philadelphia and the Pistons hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers. Warriors coach Steve Kerr gathered the team for a meeting just before Golden State faced the Jazz in Salt Lake City.

Looking for another star ahead of the trade deadline, the Warriors now have six-time All-Star Butler, who will team up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. While Wiggins had been the Warriors’ second-leading scorer at 17.6 points per game and one of their best defenders against both guards and larger forwards, Butler is expected to be a significant upgrade.

Golden State has long needed another reliable scorer to support Curry, particularly in clutch moments. Butler averaged 20 or more points in the four seasons leading up to this one. He and Green should form a formidable defensive duo for the Warriors.

Wiggins participated in his pregame warmup before the Jazz game but was greeted by an assistant coach, a Warriors security guard, and Curry as he walked back to the locker room. Afterward, a few teammates approached him to shake his hand. Moments later, the Warriors’ locker room was closed to media so Kerr could address the team. Curry, who had been warming up on the court, returned to the locker room for the meeting.

A few weeks ago, both Kerr and Curry emphasized that the Warriors did not want to make a "desperate" trade that would sacrifice the team’s future for a chance at a quick championship run this season.

Kerr reiterated this sentiment shortly before addressing the team behind closed doors: “Feel the exact same way: Don’t do anything crazy. We are not in that position.”

True to this philosophy, the Warriors held on to young prospects Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, whom they were hesitant to trade last summer during discussions involving Lauri Markkanen and Paul George.

While the Warriors lose some depth with this deal, they had entered their game against Utah in 10th place in the Western Conference standings.

Butler’s Declining Performance

Butler, who is averaging 17 points per game this season for the Heat, is posting his lowest scoring average since 2013-14. He’s also seeing his lowest field goal attempts and usage rate since the same year, as well as his fewest minutes per game since 2012-13.

Despite this, the trade signals the end of a lengthy and turbulent relationship between Butler and the Heat.

Butler was suspended three times this season, twice for conduct detrimental to the team and once for missing a flight. His most recent suspension, which began on January 27, came after he was informed he would be coming off the bench for a game. The Heat announced an indefinite suspension lasting at least five games, which extended to the trade deadline.

Butler hasn’t played since January 21.

This split had seemed inevitable since the offseason when Heat president Pat Riley indicated the team would not extend Butler’s contract this year. Butler has a history of forceful exits, having previously orchestrated moves out of both the Chicago Bulls and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

While Butler’s performance was sometimes questioned by the Heat this season, his relationship with Miami was initially a good fit. Over six seasons, Butler led the Heat to the playoffs in five of them, with three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals appearances. He earned two All-Star selections and three All-NBA team honors.

Butler will return to Miami on March 25 when the Warriors face the Heat.

Following the trade, the Warriors’ odds to win the NBA championship dropped from +4000 to +3300, while their chances for the Western Conference title moved from +3000 to +2000 and for the Pacific Division from +1800 to +1200.

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