With the 2024-25 NBA Trade Deadline nearing, there’s rampant speculation about who could be moved and where. Indeed, the rumor mill has churned out plenty of news about Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler‘s playing future. Initially, it appeared to be little more than a contract dispute spurred by an ultra-competitive president. But once the dirt laundry was in the air, it became evident that there was much more to the schism than dollars and cents.
Heat May Trade Jimmy Butler For Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins
The Heat have had trouble moving Butler. This is partially because he’s been pushing to join the Phoenix Suns, dissuading other organizations from pursuing him. Furthermore, their dramatic spectacle has caused his suitors to be a bit more hesitant about trading for him. However, another issue has simply been that Miami hasn’t heard an offer they like.
The Miami Heat were willing to trade Jimmy Butler for Andrew Wiggins and draft picks before Butler shut down the deal, per @WindhorstESPN
“I think Miami was willing to do that deal for Butler. Let’s see if by Thursday that gets revisited.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 4, 2025
There is at least one they might have interest in though, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that they were willing to trade Butler for a package headlined by Andrew Wiggins.
Trade Hurdles
Miami is engaged with the Suns regarding a Butler trade. They’ve also had trade conversations with the Memphis Grizzlies. Golden State has also touched base with the Suns in hopes of reacquiring Kevin Durant. They also appear to have a level of interest in Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, among other stars.
However, it would be difficult for either team to make those deals work.
The Suns are willing to listen to offers but they’d likely be hard-pressed to trade Durant. Unfortunately for both Phoenix and Miami, Bradley Beal‘s no-trade clause might not give them a choice. If the Heat were to pivot to Memphis, they would have to lower their asking price. As previously mentioned, it’ll be difficult for the Warriors to pry Durant from the desert. They definitely won’t be getting James, who intends to stay with the Lakers following the Luka Doncic trade.
For Golden State, that leaves Ingram; a trade that could lead to Wiggins being sent to his home country’s Toronto Raptors. Yet, for all of the drama that comes with Butler, he’s proven he’s capable of stepping up in ways that the Kinston native has not. Meanwhile, Miami might be left holding the bag, unable to find a suitor for their abrasive All-Star. With how tenuous the situation has become, that sounds like the worst-case scenario.
The good thing is a Butler-Wiggins swap could really work out well for the Heat and Warriors.
Deja Vu
On first thought, Butler and the Warriors are a weird combination.
They’re a team that built itself up off of three-point buckets, so dominant from downtown that the league itself has changed just to keep up. Yet, Butler’s not a strong shooter from outside. He isn’t restricted to scoring inside the arc. Nonetheless, in the 839 career regular season games that the six-time All-Star has played, he’s made just 33.0 percent of his threes. Despite being considered a player who raises his performance in the postseason, he’s still converted just 34.7 percent of his threes in 119 playoff games.
If there’s any team that should be confident about getting more out of Butler though, maybe it’s the Warriors. They were at least able to do so with Wiggins, who came to the team as a career 33.2 percent three-point shooter. Since being traded to Golden State, he’s shooting 38.1 percent from long-distance. With Butler already shooting
However, even if Butler doesn’t manage to become some type of archer from deep, he could play a role similar to the one Andre Iguodala held. Iguodala, whose jersey Golden State is set to retire, focused on playmaking and defense more than scoring and shooting. Butler is a more proficient scorer than the four-time NBA champion. Regardless, his general skillset is one that the Warriors are familiar with. It’s one that they’ve thrived with.
Because Butler is more of a combo forward than a wing these days, this trade also opens up opportunities for players like Moses Moody to start in the backcourt.
Maintaining Their Identity
Wiggins’ role with Miami is even easier to project.
The Heat can start the 2022 NBA champion at either wing spot. This is important because they don’t have a traditional point guard they can rely on, yet Tyler Herro has shown promise as a floor general. What Wiggins provides that Miami doesn’t currently have is a steady two-way wing who scores at a relatively high volume. More importantly, he’s capable of raining in buckets whether he’s on or off the ball.
It’s only right to mention that Duncan Robinson, a sharpshooter, has worked diligently to become a better defender. Still, he’s not someone Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra can rely on to guard the other team’s top scorer. In fact, he’s often regarded as the defense’s weak link. Wiggins is not. With him, Bam Adebayo, and Kel’el Ware in the first unit, Miami has a great chance of maintaining their identity as a team that dominates at both ends.
© Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
The post Heat May Trade Jimmy Butler For NBA Champion appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.