Miami Heat: New Jimmy Butler to Golden State Warriors Trade Update
The Miami Heat might have lost against the Detroit Pistons but Jimmy Butler reminded the world what he is truly capable of when at his best. He recorded 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in 44 minutes while shooting 12-21 from the field. The Heat would have been disappointed to lose but Erik Spoelstra surely would have been happy to see Butler put in a performance like that. Butler has been hot and cold this season but this was certainly his best performance at an individual level. His long-term future in Miami remains uncertain though. Butler has a player option for next season and as a result, one cannot overlook the possibility of the Heat trading him at some point rather than risk seeing him walk out as a free agent in the summer.
A number of teams have been linked with Butler in recent months but it looks like the Bay Area could be his most likely destination if a trade does transpire at some point. According to Jordan Elliot of NBC Sports, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported Saturday that the Warriors are the only team among the four heavily linked to Butler that maintain an interest that could eventually lead to “substantive trade talks”. The Warriors had made a great start to the season and were sitting atop the West at one point. They have been on a terrible 2-8 run though and have sitting down to 7th.
Right now, they look like a play-in team once again. But with Steph Curry in the final few years of his prime, if that, the Warriors need to move quickly if they are to go on another Championship run. Having a proven playoff performer like Butler would help in the quest. But when you consider his age and injury history, it would be a risky move for the Warriors yet one that they might need to take.
Be the first to comment