The Miami Heat are trading Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a 2025 Top-10 protected first round pick. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report.
In addition, Butler has agreed to decline his 2025-26 player option and sign a two-year, $121M extension that keeps under contract through the 2026-27 season.
There are further elements to the trade, with Schroder expected to get rerouted to the Utah Jazz. P.J. Tucker is also expected to join the Heat from the Jazz.
Lindy Waters III will also go from Golden State to the Detroit Pistons. Josh Richardson will depart Miami for Detroit as well.
Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins in their new threads 😲 pic.twitter.com/igpF55pJfE
— ESPN (@espn) February 6, 2025
Warriors Finally Get Curry Some Help
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The Warriors tried to acquire Paul George in the summer and failed. They then pursued Lauri Markkanen but the Utah Jazz forward signed an extension with the Jazz instead. There were discussions for Zach LaVine that fell through and after making progress on a deal for Kevin Durant, it was Durant who shut that down.
After being linked to Butler ever since his trade request, that looked to have hit a fork in the road when Butler reportedly wouldn’t sign an extension with the Warriors. As Bradley Beal stayed committed to not waiving his no-trade clause, though, a path to the Phoenix Suns — his most desired destination — forced Butler’s hand.
Now, we’re here. Butler is a premier talent at his best and ‘Playoff Jimmy’ has had many memorable postseason moments. The Warriors will be hoping he can add to that. Steph Curry will be grateful for someone who can take a serious load off his shoulders.
Of late, Curry genuinely seemed as though the toll of carrying the team was wearing him down.
Over the last seven games, Curry was averaging just 17.9 points while shooting just 30.1 percent on threes. The team won three of the seven games.
Steve Kerr has some decisions to make beginning with the starting lineup, but this is a good problem he will gladly take now.
Heat Make Most Of Bad Butler Trade Situation
With Butler making his situation in Miami untenable, the Heat were forced into a terrible situation. Recouping Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Tucker, and a first-round pick isn’t a bad return.
Wiggins immediately becomes the Heat’s best perimeter defender and a solid offensive option. Tucker looks a necessary cultural fit after the tumult of Butler. The Warriors pick acquired will likely slot in somewhere in the 12-18 range in what is expected to be a strong draft class.
Anderson is another candidate to be rerouted but there is no word yet on where that could be.
This now marks a new era in Heat basketball, led by Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Kel’el Ware has shown promise in a starting role alongside Adebayo, and now Wiggins gets to add to that.
Trade Grades
Miami Heat: B+
All Butler wanted was the Suns but Pat Riley and the Heat stayed firm. That option presented what would have likely been a worst case scenario. Beal not being willing to waive his no trade clause also helped. There may have been a better deal to be had last summer when tensions first began to escalate, but it was hard to envision a beautiful marriage between Butler and Miami ending this way.
Golden State Warriors: A-
Schroder and Anderson were never long-term fits for the organization. In fact, credit to Mike Dunleavy Jr. for turning DeAnthony Melton into Schroder after the former was ruled out for the season. He also made that trade just in time to make Schroder eligible for trade just before the deadline. Conceding Wiggins and a first-round pick is tough, but you have to give up to get. Considering where Wiggins was in his career when acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves, building his profile up to get traded for Butler is praiseworthy.
