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SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are badly in need of a superstar next to Stephen Curry. Heightened by the absence of Klay Thompson’s floor-spacing, Curry has been facing kitchen-sink defenses and relying on role players to relieve the building pressure. Maximizing him requires finding a co-star to share the scoring burden and better punish defenses for selling out to stop Curry.
But that co-star isn’t likely to be Jimmy Butler, according to team and league sources.
The Butler situation in Miami escalated further on Friday night. The Heat announced a seven-game suspension for the 35-year-old six-time All-Star. Miami cited “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team,” adding that they’re finally willing to “listen to offers” after Butler formally asked for a trade, generating another wave of speculation the Warriors would emerge as the most desperate, likely suitor.
Yet according to a source close to Butler, the Warriors are not currently seen as a viable option and there have been no substantive talks or traction to get any type of deal done. Butler’s history and reputation is as a premium two-way perimeter player — which the Warriors could use. Some credence exists to the idea that his midrange repertoire and defensive prowess could elevate the Warriors into that next tier of playoff threat. But Butler’s age and injury history makes him a risky choice. His price tag makes him an untenable option.
Circumstances could always change prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but many of the facts won’t. Butler makes $48.8 million this season. The Warriors are fewer than $500,000 below the first apron, where they are capped. The math to complete a deal for Butler — or anyone making anywhere near his salary figure — is tricky. To acquire him, either Andrew Wiggins, at $26.2 million, or Draymond Green, at $24.1 million, would have to be part of the deal to match salaries, along with a handful of other role players.
Of those two, the expectation is it’d be Wiggins, which is part of the hesitation inside the Warriors’ walls. Wiggins has regained his form as the team’s most reliable nightly perimeter defender while hitting 40 percent of his 3s. He’s well-liked by teammates and coaches and, in a win-now environment, the Warriors maintain more interest in trades that allow them to keep Wiggins in the fold next to Curry and Green.
Jonathan Kuminga, at $7.6 million in the final season of his rookie deal, shouldn’t be considered untouchable as the deadline approaches. His uncertain contractual future demands the Warriors’ explore all options. He’d be an obvious young chip of interest to Miami in a deal, attached to Wiggins. But he’s also on a mini-surge currently, taking firmer grip of a 30-minute per night bench role. While acknowledging Butler’s ability, sources inside the locker room (and the Warriors’ coaching staff and front office) would rather keep their two best wings than acquire Butler.
The dramatic nature of this latest Butler situation also raises concerns about his fit in the Warriors locker room. As was the case in late 2018, when Butler forced his way out of Minnesota and was eventually traded to Philadelphia, the messiness of it all tends to inspire hesitation in teams that might otherwise be interested in pursuing him.
League sources said the root of Butler’s rift with the Heat is all related to his next contract, as Butler was pushing for a max extension this summer and the Heat made it clear they had no such plans. Butler has a player option worth $52.4 million for next season. His strong desire for a highly-priced extension deep into his 30s wouldn’t dissipate at a new location. Trading for Butler and expecting him to arrive supercharged for a run would mean at least a hint of a commitment to give him the contract that Pat Riley and the Heat were so unwilling.
That hasn’t been appetizing to the Warriors, according to team and league sources. When gauging their interest in the evolving trade market, they are more often attached to players on mid-tier, more palatable contract numbers. It’s why they flipped De’Anthony Melton for Dennis Schröder’s expiring $13 million deal. Schröder’s contract can’t be aggregated in another trade until the day before the deadline.
Cameron Johnson is one of the hottest current names on the market. He’d fill a need as an extra shooting wing who could fit in versatile lineup combinations and also makes a reasonable $22.5 million this season (plus $20.5 million and $22.5 million the next two). But Brooklyn’s price tag has been steep and there are other teams (like the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder) that appear in hotter pursuit.
Nikola Vučević has actually emerged as the more discussed Warriors’ trade target, according to team and league sources. The front office and coaching staff have acknowledged back to training camp this team’s need for a true stretch center, something Curry has never really had. Vučević is making 44 percent of his nearly five 3s per game this season and averaging 20.3 points per game. In theory, he’d get protected on defense by Green, while opening up offensive space for Curry, Wiggins and Kuminga.
The price tag also matters. Vučević makes $20 million this season and $21.4 million next season. The Warriors have several small-scale contracts that could get to his number — while sticking below that first apron and not gutting the top-end of their rotation. Gary Payton II is on a $9.1 million expiring. Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson are at $8.7 million. Kevon Looney is at $8 million flat.
For example: Stack up Payton’s $9.1 million with Anderson’s $8.7 million and a small contract like Lindy Waters III, at $2.2 million, and it actually nudges a smidge over Vučević’s $20 million. Then it just becomes about what draft capital gets a deal like that done and Vučević, while productive, won’t break the asset bank.
Players like Vučević or Johnson don’t arrive with nearly the upside as Butler, who has done it as an alpha on the biggest playoff stage. Perhaps passing on Butler means giving up even the tiniest sliver of probability remaining that this Warriors core could enter the realistic title mix this season.
But there’s a heavy amount of current and future risk and, while maintaining they still want to be competitive in Curry’s fading years, it’s clear the front office and ownership group is protective of the seasons beyond Curry, Green and Kerr. So if the primary figures aren’t clamoring for Butler — and they aren’t — the Warriors’ brass seem to prefer long-term maneuverability over a theoretical short-term solution nobody seems to believe too staunchly in anyway.
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
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