Sports

Warriors-Heat Trade Grades: Golden State Lands Jimmy Butler

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By
Ben Pfeifer
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Ben Pfeifer Sports Editor

Ben Pfeifer graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in Psychology and Journalism. He has worked in basketball scouting covering the NBA and the draft for over a half-decade, working for various outlets. Now, he covers the NBA, the draft and high school basketball.

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Sports Editor

Published05 Feb 2025

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Jimmy Butler

The Miami Heat have finally traded Jimmy Butler, sending their disgruntled star to the Golden State Warriors for a deal including Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Warriors proceeded to ink the 35-year-old Butler to a new, two-year, $121 million extension through 2027.

Will Butler Help Fuel One More Warriors Run?

Within the deal, Golden State’s Lindy Waters III and Josh Richardson will head to Detroit, and Miami will reroute Anderson and Schroder to new destinations (Schroder has already been sent to the Utah Jazz). Butler is the prize, of course, as the Warriors push for one last playoff run in the Stephen Curry era. Butler has averaged 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 25 games this season.

Butler’s exit from Miami was all but a guarantee, given his public feud with the team and repeated suspensions. He’ll aim to help a 25-25 Warriors team cement themselves and win in the playoffs this season and beyond. He is still an excellent offensive player, posting an elite 64.4 percent true shooting clip and shooting a career-high 68.1 percent at the rim this season. His offensive Estimated Plus-Minus (plus-3.1) ranks 18th in the NBA.

He’s not as impactful on defense as he once was, and is a downgrade from Wiggins, but the Warriors have enough defensive talent on their roster. Wiggins, who averages 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, should continue his solid season for a Miami team firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff mix.

Golden State’s offensive woes have held it back to this point. Curry is still an excellent player but can no longer guarantee elite offenses all on his own. The Warriors are 21st in offensive rating (112 points per 100 possession), marking the worst offense of Curry’s career (not counting 2019-20, when he appeared in just five games).

As a secondary creator, Butler will thrive attacking closeouts, cutting and moving within their motion offense. They’ve desperately needed another competent creator — their move for Schroder didn’t work out as they hoped — and Butler can be that player. His strong history of playoff performances makes him an intriguing option next to Curry and Draymond Green.

Grading The Deal

Golden State Warriors: B+

At this stage of career, Butler probably won’t vault the Warriors to true title contention. Paying him over $60 million annually into his age-37 season may carry some risk, but it’s a short-term deal. The Warriors landed Butler without sacrificing any key young players or valuable picks, making this a win overall and a risk worth taking to maximize the time Curry and Green have left as high-level players.

Miami Heat: B 

Losing a player of Butler’s quality without recouping valuable picks or prospects isn’t ideal, but given Butler’s age and public animosity, Wiggins isn’t a bad compensation prize. He’s a quality starter who will add value on both ends for a Heat team likely to appear in the playoffs again this season.