Finally. It’s happened. After months of painful drama, Jimmy Butler has been traded. In a five-team deal also involving the Pistons, Jazz and potentially the Raptors*, the Miami Heat have flipped their chaotic star to the Golden State Warriors per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
BREAKING: The Miami Heat are finalizing a deal to send Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/82mWHKCnVM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
With Butler’s departure from the market, any hope that the Milwaukee Bucks would make a major move before the deadline has gone up in smoke. Instead, they will have to look to supplement the roster with moves around the edges, having dealt Khris Middleton to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma earlier today.
Athough the news may be disappointing in an remote sense, the Bucks had faded from the Butler market over recent weeks, so it comes as no surprise that he has ended up elsewhere.
What the Golden State Warriors Gave Up To Get Jimmy Butler, Plus Further Details on Deal
As part of the deal, Butler has agreed to sign a two-year extension with the Warriors for two years and $121 million that ends after 2026-27, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Andrew Wiggins (Warriors), PJ Tucker (Jazz), and a top-10 protect first round pick (Warriors) will be going to the Heat. Golden State’s Kyle Anderson is going to the Raptors* or an as yet unconfirmed 5th team; Dennis Schroeder goes to Utah. Lindsey Waters III (Warriors), Josh Richardson (Heat), and a second rounder are heading to Detroit.
Should Bucks fans be disappointed? Not really. Giving up Wiggins, a first-rounder, Kyle Anderson and Schroeder, a capable point guard, is a significant sacrifice for an injury-prone, drama-prone player having a down season and already 36 years old–no matter how good “Playoff Jimmy” is in the playoffs, that kind of exchange seems like a break-even proposition at best.
Fans Not Impressed
On X, many commenters held a negative opinion of the trade from the Warriors’ perspective:
“Hey everybody, how much does this help the Warriors?”
“Jimmy has been injured 4/4 of the last playoffs. He’s an elite player but it’s not like he’s going to provide much more value than 3 good role players in Wiggins Schroder and SlowMo”
“How long before Jimmy and Draymond get into a fight at practice?”
“Warriors got fleeced”
“WOW. From the 11th seed to the 10th seed they go. Congrats dub nation (fire emoji).”
*EDIT: The Raptors are not part of the trade. Per Charania, Miami will retain Kyle Anderson and can send him to a fifth team by Thursday’s 3 PM deadline.
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