The Golden State Warriors are heading into the 2024-25 season with an uncertain future as the franchise hopes that replacing Klay Thompson and Chris Paul with Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson will improve results this season. But in an ultra-competitive West, these moves might not be enough to compete alongside the top for a franchise that failed to make the Playoffs last season.
On the other Conference, the Miami Heat are approaching the end of the road for their run with Jimmy Butler. His future with the franchise looks cloudy after reports that he expects to hit free agency and Pat Riley openly declaring that Butler needs to abide by specific conditions to get a new contract from the team. This might be the perfect time for the Warriors to pounce on a win-now player to give Stephen Curry another chance at a title.
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: Jimmy Butler, Josh Richardson
Miami Heat Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II, 2026 First-Round Pick (GSW)
Butler’s age, injury history, and contract uncertainty means that he can’t fetch the massive trade haul one expects from a superstar player. However, he still is important enough to fetch such a package. The Warriors will be taking a massive risk by making this deal but could emerge as massive winners if Butler delivers for them and makes them a contender in the West.
The Warriors Form A Veteran-Laden Win-Now Roster
The acquisition of Jimmy Butler would make the Warriors considerably older, especially with the departure of Jonathan Kuminga. But Butler is a proven Playoff performer who is capable of leading a team to the NBA Finals. In a secondary offensive role behind Curry, Butler can not only conserve his health for the postseason but be the defensive menace he has remained even as he ages. He and Draymond Green can be conductors of a fierce defensive setup.
Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season, struggling with injuries for a big chunk of the regular season and getting hurt during the Play-In Tournament. He’s proven he can be one of the league’s most clutch performers, provided he has the right infrastructure around him to support him. The Warriors have the perfect weapons for that with the likes of Green, De’Anthony Melton, and breakout sophomore Brandin Podziemski.
Josh Richardson is a multi-positional asset who could be a valuable 3-and-D veteran for the Warriors when needed. He averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists last season.
The losses of multiple rotational players won’t be easy to replace, especially a leader like Looney, but there are options on the market for centers to play behind Trayce Jackson-Davis and Draymond, with Green expected to continue playing minutes at center for the franchise. This is a risk, but it might be worthwhile to maximize the twilight of Curry’s prime.
The Heat Find A Way To Stay Competitive With Win-Now Additions
The Miami Heat have made it their signature specialty to extract as much from players as they can to remain a winning franchise over the last two decades. They maximized their current core to two Finals appearances but the top-heavy nature of all the top East teams has led to them falling from prominence in the Conference. They can respond by using a robust rotation of various talented players to maintain their winning ways with Bam Adebayo as the new franchise cornerstone.
Jonathan Kuminga averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists last season, emerging as a potential future All-Star towards the end of the season. The team have been protecting him in trade talks, but moving him in this deal to maintain future assets could be most prudent, with the Heat getting a young forward who Erik Spoelstra can mold into a two-way terror. It might not lead to contention in 2024-25, but the Heat will be well-positioned to be a genuine title threat in a few seasons from now.
Wiggins averaged 13.2 points and 4.5 rebounds last season, struggling with personal issues that impacted his performance on the court. A fresh start in the rigorous Heat Culture might be what he needs to discover the edge we saw him show in the 2021-22 season where he was the Warriors’ most impactful two-way player. Another title veteran Gary Payton II would be a great fit on the Heat with his defensive focus, averaging 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists last season.
Kevon Looney would fill a hole in the backup center spot for the Heat, averaging 4.5 points and 5.7 rebounds last season. These are solid defensive-minded players allowing the Heat to remain competitive now as well as leave them well-placed for the future, lest they lose Butler for nothing in free agency next summer.
What Grade Should This Trade Be?
This trade opens up a can of worms for the Warriors, as acquiring Butler will lead to the team hoping many situations out of their control don’t go wrong. A 35-year-old forward might not be performing at the highest level for much longer, but even if Butler can boost the team’s competitive chances this season or the next, it would be a worthwhile deal for the Warriors.
Golden State Warriors: B
This is not an easy deal to stomach, especially due to Jonathan Kuminga’s upside. It would be a better deal if we were halfway through the season and Kuminga hadn’t taken an obvious leap with greater opportunity, but the Warriors might leave too much value on the table by moving him right now. He could give Butler a run at similar production, but the seasoned veteran would be a more goal-oriented fit next to the Warriors.
The acquisition of Butler won’t transform the Warriors into championship contenders, which begs the question if the deal is even worth it. The grade on this deal could fluctuate massively, but I genuinely believe Butler would be a great fit on the Warriors. They might give too much up in value by making this deal, but it guarantees them an elite forward with proven Finals experience in the recent past.
Miami Heat: A
If the Heat can get such a robust trade package for an expiring Butler who might walk for nothing in free agency, they will be massively pleased. The team doesn’t look competitive in the short term even with Butler on the roster, so adding a cast of veterans around the likes of Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Terry Rozier could help them stay in the Playoff hunt, a position they’d likely be in even if Butler was leading the franchise.
Kuminga’s upside could set them up for a new phase of the future with Adebayo and Herro on the roster, creating a versatile three-star lineup with two defensive specialists and a free-wheeling scorer who’s improved his playmaking tremendously. The 2026 pick might not be valuable if Butler delivers at the highest level, but an implosion in Golden State could lead to the Heat also landing a very high draft pick two offseasons from now.
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