It’s official. The Jimmy Butler saga has come to an end.
A member of the Miami Heat for six years, Butler is headed to the Golden State Warriors. First reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, there’s a new big three in the bay. Butler, 35, will join Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State.
Less than an hour after the news went viral, Butler broke his silence on social media. All it took was a six-word statement from Butler, “Welcome to the wild, wild west.”
The Miami Heat will acquire Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schröder, Kyle Anderson, and a protected-first-round pick in the initial deal. Since news of the trade broke, Charania states this is part of a multi-team trade that will send Schröder to the Utah Jazz. In the deal, PJ Tucker will reunite with the Heat.
The trade doesn’t come as a surprise, given Butler has requested a trade out of Miami several times. Amid the saga, Butler was suspended indefinitely after walking out of practice last week.
Jimmy Butler signs a two-year extension with the Golden State Warriors
While initial reports indicated Butler wouldn’t sign a contract extension with the Warriors just a few days ago, it seems Butler had a change of heart. Butler finds a new home and has agreed to a two-year $121 million extension with the Warriors (per Shams Charania). Butler will remain with Golden State through the 2026-2027 season with the extension.
While several reports indicated the Warriors were looking to reunite with Kevin Durant, KD will stay with the Suns. A win-win for both franchises, Golden State finally adds a star to play alongside Curry, without parting ways with Jonathan Kuminga and other promising talent.
Drafted no. 30 overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2011 NBA Draft, Butler spent the first six years of his career in Chicago before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a one-year stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, Butler then spent the next six seasons with Miami.
Headed to his fifth team throughout his NBA career, Butler is arguably having a down year from a scoring perspective. Limited to 25 games this season, Butler averaged 17 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists with Miami. Averaging a career 18.3 points per game, Butler had quite the run with Miami.
Can “Playoff-Jimmy” reemerge in the Bay?
2 YEARS AGO TODAY Jimmy Butler scored 47 and forced a Game 7 against the Celtics
47 Points 9 Rebounds 8 Assists 4 Steals 4 Threes pic.twitter.com/BTpd4LWJvO
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 27, 2024
Throughout his Heat tenure, Butler felt short of capturing a championship. However, he led the Heat to five straight playoff runs, including two NBA Finals appearances against the Nuggets and Lakers. Best known as “Playoff Jimmy,” Butler notched an unforgettable 56 points vs the Milwaukee Bucks as the no. 8 seed just a few years ago.
Undoubtedly, Butler had a profound, ever-lasting impact in South Beach. Through 119 games, Butler has an average of 21.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in the playoffs. Now, he joins a Warriors squad desperately seeking their first playoff appearance since the 2022-2023 season. With this, Butler joins a Curry-led team that has won four championships since the 2014-2015 season.
With a 25-24 record, the Warriors are the current No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. 6-4 in their last 10 games, Wiggins will be missed by the Warriors organization. It is essentially an even trade, and Butler will provide much-needed defense and offense for Golden State. When I say even, I’m strictly talking about Wiggins for Butler. Currently, the Warriors rank no. 9 in defensive rating.
With that, Butler joins a highly competitive Western Conference, where several stars have been traded to and from this season. Most notably, Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis swapped places on the Lakers and Mavericks. De’Aaron Fox joined the Spurs this week, while Zach LaVine is headed to Sacramento. Although OKC has a cushiony six-game lead in the Western Conference, seeds 2-5 are determined by four games or less. In other words, the West is stacked.
Will Jimmy Butler essentially replace Andrew Wiggins?
Averaging 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for the Warriors this season, Wiggins has bounced back considerably from a disappointing season. A respectable shooter from downtown, Wiggins will now join a Heat team that’s ranked No. 7 in the Eastern Conference. Given that the Heat have been without Butler for most of the season, Wiggins should provide an instant boost on the offensive end.
On Monday, Wiggins had an impressive performance vs the Magic, recording 25 points. He joins a younger Heat core led by Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. 4-6 in their last 10 games signals a hefty need for the Heat. We are talking about a player who’s a few years removed from being named to the NBA All-Star roster. I’m intrigued by how head coach Erik Spoelstra can further develop Wiggins.
Jimmy Butler will provide much needed offense for the Warriors
It isn’t surprising the Warriors flipped Schröder, who they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in mid-December. An offensive powerhouse for the Nets early in the season didn’t translate as much with the Warriors. In 24 games with Golden State, Schröder averaged 10.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Although his shooting percentages dipped dramatically, Schröder is an NBA journeyman who can bring a ton of veteran experience to a young Utah Jazz team.
Initially rumored to move on from the Heat, Kyle Anderson will indeed head to Miami. Averaging 5.3 points, Anderson has mainly been a non-factor with the Warriors. A viable threat from beyond the arc, he will now join Erik Spoelstra and the Heat.
With one day left before the NBA trade deadline ends, the Jimmy Butler drama has finally ended. Although Golden State has given up quite the amount the assets for Butler, the effect of the trade remains unseen. Even through all the drama, Butler remains a highly effective two-way player who should add plenty of offense next to Steph Curry. Overall, I give these two teams a B grade.
Either way, Butler has earned a few weeks of vacation and is now rewarded with a brand-new extension. Life sounds good in the Bay.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter, Content Creator, and Manager for Ballislife Bets. She focuses on women’s basketball and the NBA. Sara Jane resides in the Connecticut/NYC area with her Cat and Dog. SJ has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Connecticut.
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