Seemingly, every day, reporters reveal new developments in the Jimmy Butler saga. Following months and months of circulating rumors and leaked reports documenting the rift growing between Jimmy Butler and the Heat organization, Pat Riley, President of Basketball in Miami, oddly decided to come out and clear things up for the media. His statement—released just over a week ago—was straight to the point and made it clear in no uncertain terms that the Heat would not be moving Butler.
Well, two days into the New Year, Butler made a statement of his own, followed by a formal request for a trade. As a result, despite Riley’s intention to bring clarity to the subject, Butler’s countering actions and comments have left the entire situation as muddled and unclear as ever.
We’ve seen the fiery Butler grow unhappy before, and it’s not always been a pretty sight. Everyone remembers how things ended in Minnesota. Butler knows how to strategically force his way out of an organization, and regardless of what Riley says, Butler seems intent on doing it again.
Disgruntled Heat Star Jimmy Butler Could Be Back on Warriors’ Radar
Likelihood of the Warriors Acquiring Jimmy Butler
According to betting odds from DraftKings, the Warriors currently stand as the favorite to land Jimmy Butler at +300. These odds indicate about a 20% chance of the Warriors landing him. But with Butler appearing to draw a line in the sand and pushing for a trade, those odds could quickly be coming down if the Warriors truly are interested.
As Jonathan Kuminga continues to vastly improve his level of play in recent weeks, the Warriors hold a valuable trade chip that would surely interest the Heat. The only question is whether Kuminga’s improved play has been enough to convince the Warriors that keeping him is actually their best option.
The Warriors are keeping their intentions with Kuminga close to their chest. However, just because Steve Kerr has been publicly praising Kuminga as of late doesn’t mean General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr hasn’t consistently been looking into what return they could get for him via trade.
The Warriors would clearly be getting older and more top-heavy if they chose to acquire Butler. But with a roster that realistically goes about 12 deep, pushing their chips in for a bit more top-end talent might not be the worst idea in the world. Among fringe contenders looking to jump up a tier or two, the Warriors could have the most to gain by adding the six-time All-Star.
The Last Word
Despite Butler’s most recent comments, it still feels like there are many more developments to come in this story. Many things could change in the next month leading up to the February 6th NBA Trade Deadline, but as things currently stand, Butler appears determined to find his way out of Miami. Regardless of his age and continual struggles with injuries, it doesn’t take too much explaining to understand Butler’s numerous interested trade suitors.
Whether Butler ultimately lands with the Warriors will likely hinge on two things. First and foremost, are the Heat actually willing to move Butler regardless of the comments recently made by Pat Riley—Butler would be far from the first player to have a trade request rejected. And are the Warriors willing to move on from Kuminga despite his immense potential and recent flashes of fulfillment? Butler to the Warriors perhaps remains somewhat of a long shot, but it is a move that once again has life following Butler’s public display of dissatisfaction in Miami.
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