After missing out on targets like Paul George and Lauri Markkanen this offseason, the Warriors remain on the lookout for stars who might become available on the trade market, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who said on The TK Show (YouTube link) that Heat forward Jimmy Butler is among the players Golden State is monitoring.
“Jimmy Butler’s going to be a free agent next summer, didn’t get an extension done,” Amick said. “The Warriors, as you know, have interest there and I think probably made a couple calls during the summer.”
As Amick observes, the Warriors aren’t in position to pursue top free agents due to their salary cap situation, so if they’re going to acquire a star to complement Stephen Curry, they’ll almost certainly need to do so via trade. Golden State will be hoping for the “wheels to fall off” for a would-be contender, resulting in an All-Star caliber player seeking a change of scenery, Amick notes.
Butler, who will turn 35 on Saturday, is entering what could be a contract year in Miami. Although by all accounts he remains committed to the Heat, the six-time All-Star has reportedly told the team he won’t sign an extension before next summer and will reevaluate his options next offseason, when he holds a $52.4MM player option for 2025/26.
If the Heat get off to a poor start this season, it’s possible they’ll consider the idea of moving Butler at the trade deadline, though there’s no indication they’ve seriously considered that possibility to this point.
Should Butler finish the season in Miami, there would be myriad options available to him next summer — he could re-up with the Heat (either on an extension or a new contract), he could decline his option to sign elsewhere, or he could work out an opt-in-and-trade deal that sends him to a new destination. That last scenario would be the most viable path for him to land in Golden State. The Warriors explored a similar arrangement with George before he declined his player option in June.
Amick also names Lakers forward LeBron James, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as some other players the Warriors are likely monitoring. However, he acknowledges that they’re long shots and could only emerge as possible targets if they sour on their current situations.
“It’s that level of a player, where you just kind of hope that one of them starts looking out for greener pastures,” Amick said.
Only way that happens is the warriors are getting rid of Wiggins in the trade
That’s kind of a given. Wiggins is the only player they can use to match salaries, since they’re not trading Draymond and especially not Steph.
I hate these rumors because it’s just click bait. Not much in trades happening so they just put 2 teams together and pretend a trade will happen.
@arc89 why do you post on the rumors site if you hate rumors? Weird take.
Its just the ones that made up by reporters. They been placing every big star with the warriors when they can’t acquire them with the payroll restraints required. warriors are barely under the tax line so how can they add $52 million?
Wiggins makes $26,276,786 + $28,223,215 + $30,169,644
Payton makes $9,100,00
Looney makes $8,000,000
That = $101,769,645 that GSW can move in a trade. That’s a lot.
Yes and those are the three guys they’d love to move. Well, plus Moody LOL
Also, that’s some fanciful math. I get that Wiggins whole contract does come off the books, but only the AAV counts for trades.
Butler maker $46M this year, $52M in 2025-26.
That matches:
Wiggins + GP2 + Looney + Moody
$26M + $9M + $8M + $6M
$49M
Miami is moving off Butler because they don’t want a #1 guy at $50M and 35 yrs old that always misses 25 regular season games and often misses the playoffs. Not a lot of appetite for the aging Butler around the league right now. I believe Miami would do this deal.
Warriors would have to believe they could keep Butler healthy by playing him less.
Gary, do they do this deal?
Lakers get butler
Heat get DLo, Rui. Vincent and 2 Firsts
Jimmy for kuminga has pat Riley’s name all over it!
Miami would be set long term.
The Warriors aren’t trading a 22 year old guy they value more than everyone but Steph, for a 36 year old. Nope.
The Warriors would do that trade in a hot second. Absolutely 100% right now. We mustn’t forget Steph Curry is 36. We going to wait till next summer and curry’s 37, or the next one he’s 38? One more ring makes five and that’s a huge milestone.
Warriors aren’t sacrificing the future for this reason. They don’t owe Curry anything, he’s gotten to compete for more championships than virtually every other player in league. The warriors are working towards not being irrelevant the moment Curry retires. The Warriors have been paying the salaries with loans/equity based on the skyrocketing value of the team. If the team loses significant value Lacob will be underwater and bankrupt. The new arena is helping but they are far from out of the red.
Menace , that’s the most accurate post on a Warriors thread I’ve seen in a long time.
Warriors are a business; shareholders care only about the value of their shares; and billions of are lost if the product becomes less appealing.
As a business, there is zero chance the team trades away the future for short-term gain. Those that believe ownership will do that to optimize Curry’s remaining years are naiive.
If folks herw accepted that, they’d have been able to predict every event regardink Klay, George, Markkanen, and, next, Kuminga.
But they will win 3+ more rings with Steph and Kuminga?
Did we forget how close to Lebron’s game JK is? All Jon has to do is watch all Brons tape and tweak his toolbox to match, and then get Kerr on board with adding “Lebron” which he started to do last season.
Haha lol.
Oh.., it’s you…, things a little quiet over on the Tatum article?
Just messing with you. Welcome. May the bickering begin. :)
You know, I was really trying to hold my tongue here. But then I was blessed with “Kuminga is the next Lebron”…
Your lithium pills are in the mail Davey.
No way Warriors trade Kuminga for Butler, especially not at 35 yrs old, $50M, and the risk that Butler opts out after 1 year. And, because of Butler’s injury history, there’s a > 30% chance the Warriors are wasting $50M/yr on a guy that misses the playoffs.
Miami has decided to move on from Butler, and he’s been on the block for the entire summer.
Straight up Jk for Butler would not work. The dollars wouldn’t match up. So that scenario is impossible.
So it have to be Wiggins but you’re not going to trade Wiggins AND Jk for Jimmy Butler. No chance.
So it would be Wiggins and Moody for Jimmy Butler. Plus whatever salary guy like Payton or Looney. So you’re sort of correct.
Gary hey, how come you and I can’t get our Kuminga story straight?! LOL I didn’t mean to suggest that the rules would allow a straight-up Kuminga for Butler trade, only that the Warriors wouldn’t do it even if it was possible.
I think Miami’s main motivation is to be free of Butler’s contract, but they also want something back. Moody fits the Heat culture, which is everything, and, even though Looney and GP2 have only 1 year left, they also fit. Wiggins’ long-term fit with Miami is questioable, but, at worst, he’s $22M/yr less expensive than Butler. Dubs might need to add a 1st round pick, but it all sounds feasible.
Aristotle – there isn’t really a question about whether or not Jimmy is opting out. He’s going to opt out to sign a multi year deal. Kind of why this whole conversation exists…
Payton, Waters and a 2nd for Kelly Olynyk
Waive Spencer sign Post
That’s all you have to do.
PG. Curry
SG. Heild
SF. Wiggins
PF. Green
C . Olynyk
Podz needs to go to the bench. He will stunt everyone’s growth and rub everyone the wrong way like Klay ( you like him more than me) – Klay
Couldn’t agree more. We are unfortunately about to start the season like 10-15 because of Podz getting too many minutes and they notice it and start peeling back his presence, much like what happened last year.
If they cap Podz mins at 15-20 and give more to Moody, they will go 15-10, that’s the bottom line. They really just have to quit acting like Podz is anything but a PG. He is not a SG and his game isn’t the best type of game to play alongside Curry. We need a Klay-type, which Buddy and Moody can do. Podz can play when Steph is off-court, that’s maximizing Podz value.
Olynyk – Dray – Kuminga – Buddy – Steph
TJD – KA – Wiggs – Moody – Podz
Honestly that second string makes or breaks the year, I think it could be extremely good and it gets Wiggs scoring again. I think this is easily a 55 win team with your trade added and no big injuries.
I appreciate your insight and don’t worry about all the negative Nancy’s on this site. They only know how to throw hate when they don’t understand what’s going on around them. Let the casuals cry
It’s so easy for some to label others as casual. A differing opinion is not a casual.
A casual would NOT notice how the Warriors are operating and how they choose to construct their roster and make up fantasy Acquisitions that never happen.
I would consider that a casual but not pointing fingers at any individual or individuals.
If you look at the Warriors and what they do in reality and their roster, it seems that a big man who is not a really great player, doesn’t appeal to them.
They’re not going to carry a 7-footer just to carry a 7-footer. That’s not being casual, that’s looking at how the Warriors have been handling the roster lately and having a different opinion from yours.
I got one. This is easier than fishing
Okay so if that’s such a great trade scenario above for Kelly Olynyk, why haven’t the Warriors done it?
Signed, Casual fish.
Yes Looney was their C for the recent championship but every other time they had real centers. Looney should be a back up C right now. They have a near perfect team and are drafting well but are making a couple mistakes here and there. I don’t know why they have not got a real C in years. Kelly Olynyk is just a veteran C where the money could work. A veteran C around the 10 to 12 million dollar range. He doesn’t fit in Toronto and used him as a example. They honestly need a shot blocker C so actually I am wrong by suggesting Kelly Olynyk so my mad and my bad calling you a casual but you come out of nowhere attacking me while I’m just trying to help Davey because he is attacked by people alot like myself. You fired shots. So what are your ideas or thoughts on the Warriors or do you think they are perfect?
Signed, some dude with horrible ideas
I guess I just think that if the Warriors are going to grab a center they’re going to want one who’s a good player. And if they can’t find a good player for the center spot they’d rather have a 6-8 guy for the wing who can double team the offensive Center, and then on the kick out, he’s athletic enough to make it to the three-point line to distract the shot.
All those names that people put out aren’t able to do that type of thing. And the 7-footers names that are thrown out who sign with other teams, don’t play or are disappointing. It’s like what’s the point.
I like Trace Jackson Davis, I think he’s a good enough starter and Looney to back up but barely. He’s slowing down quite a bit. Green will play some minutes at Center and there’s slow-mo also.
Hopefully Q Post develops so there’s 5 guys right there. But if there’s a good player who can play center the Warriors will grab him if he’s available. Javale McGee 6 years ago, they tried Cousins 5 years ago, they had the euro center who slid under Kawhi Leonard’s foot. He was decent for them as a big man, took up space, five or six years ago.
So yes they’re open to it but the guy has to be a good player. Those names you guys come up with the last year or two don’t cut it.
I think it all started with Nelly and the Ghost of Don Nelson haunting the Warriors big man prospects ever since lol.
I remember he named Larry Smith, a 6-8 power forward, as the starting center and that was the beginning of all this lol.
Then he wanted Chris Webber to be the center. Chris Webber’s favorite player was Magic Johnson so that wasn’t happening LOL.
The Center Spot doesn’t have to be a shot blocker. Often shot blockers Chase shots at The Rim and unless the power forward comes over to box out the other team’s Center that our guy left to block the shot, it all backfires.
Just my opinion, and it’s no better than anyone else’s, but I’d rather have a solid, strong, great position Defender than a shot blocker. Young Kevon Looney !!
A smart position player can block 1 shot per game to keep defenses honest without leaving his guy all the time and chasing stats.
“Golden State will be hoping for the “wheels to fall off” for a would-be contender, resulting in an All-Star caliber player seeking a change of scenery, Amick notes.”
Oh look, its the Warriors doing exactly what I said they would do. Hmmm….
Several of us said that because we read the headlines and we pay attention. Unless you know someone in the locker room you’re getting this information the same way I am. I like to say sometimes that I know exactly what’s going on but it’s from Twitter and the inside guys that you and I read.
I thought you said the warriors were going to win 70 games with the current roster if they played the Young guys? I thought that was your stance? Me and a couple others have said they’re still big game hunting from now to the deadline. You said that too? I don’t quite recall that.
Every pretender with 1 elite player in cap hell hopes. Butler is a pipe dream and Davey J should pass that Doobie.
He’s not old enough to smoke bud.
The Warriors have too much depth and plenty of cap space if they move Wiggins. Its obvious they could even go get KD at the deadline, or Lebron, or Giannis, they can get anyone who wants to play there, tbh. Scary, huh? Looks like more titles for Steph on the way!!
Hahaha stop it. You sure warriors can’t get luka and jokic next to Giannis and Steph lol.
Here we go, another fantasy article about the Warriors dreaming about acquiring another overpriced aging star. Same article, with a couple of names changed
Maybe it’s time to flip the switch and write an article about what the Warriors will do if miss the playoffs again and realize it’s time for them to start a rebuild.
As long as Steph Curry is on the roster and Draymond Green is sticking around, you don’t rebuild. You bring in veterans. They’re trying the two timeline thing but that’s pretty difficult.
Gary said :
> As long as Steph Curry is on the roster and Draymond Green is sticking around, you don’t rebuild. You bring in veterans. They’re trying the two timeline thing but that’s pretty difficult.
Gary, How about the new formula: get the most VALUE possible for the available dollar, no matter what age.
Celtics won this year because they fit 6 stars in under the cap, with none making more than $35M.
In all reality the Celtics won because of the Bucks front office. They allowed them to build a monster. Now they get to deal with it and it will end with Giannis leaving Milwaukee.
Not at all saying the Cs didn’t deserve the chip. They were clearly the best team in the league by a pretty wide margin. Just saying the Bucks handed them the keys.
Plus it’s the offseason. You just make up stuff to write about if you hear a name. Plus obviously the Warriors articles get a lot of crazy comments including mine lol. Why not keep writing about them? It gets clicks lol.
Agree with you some what. Every reporter is throwing out names to claim warriors are picking them up. A rebuild will not happen unless the team has 0 shot at the play in and they are worse in the west. It would come midseason.
arc89 . Agree with you that this is a non-story. Beat writers have to come up with something on a regular basis, and this is what happens when there’s nothing interesting.
Fans don’t appreciate how little information that we’d classify as “rumor” actually flows from the team to reporters. Rank-and-file front-office employees, (including Dunleavy) are contractually prohibited by team and also by league rules from releasing info. They would never release info to a beat reporter, or otherwise be fired for cause.
When beat guys like Slater or Kawakami get info the team hasn’t made public, they won’t disclose it because it would ruin the broader relationship they have with the team.
arc89 , I don’t believe a “rebuild” is in the foreseeable Warriors future.
First, multiple consecutive losing seasons destroy ticket prices and share value. Ownership cares more about this not happening than, even, winning a Chip.
Second, Warriors believe they have already achieved what a “rebuild” is meant to accomplish: locking in a core of young starters, whose rights they control for several years, at a low price. That’s JK (21), Podz(21), and TJD (24), 3 starters earning less than a combined $15M this season. And they have 3 more years of Podz and TJD at their current, low salaries. JK is an RFA, so, including this season, they can keep him for at least 5 more years. Similarly, they have rights to Podz for 8 more years (3 years, and then a rookie extension), and, similarly, with TJD.
When you have an inexpensive core of young players, you have locked in value at low cost, and you also have locked in open cap space for acquiring more experienced and expensive players. Even if JK gets a $35M extension at the end of this season, the combo of JK, Podz, and TJD costs only $45M per year the next 2 seasons.
This doesn’t mean they believe JK, TJD, and Podz on their own bring success, only that by locking the core in inex pensively, the team has room to acquire other pieces. See the Boston Celtics.
This is why these 3 will not be included in offers for George, Markkanen, Butler, etc
EM41, as far as a “rebuild”, Warriors are starting two 21 year olds (Kuminga and Podziemski) and a 24 year old 2nd year player (Jackson-Davis). Their young core is in place.
They’re monitoring LBJ, Giannis and Book, really?! This is an absolute shocker, I didn’t know that a team would be interested in acquiring 3 of the 10 best players in the league. Wonder if any other teams are keeping their eye on those three?
Separate of that nugget, I have long been a fan of Butler. That said, I’m not giving up much to get him right now. I don’t see him getting healthier, or giving four rounds of Playoff Jimmy again.
I’m sure. Teams monitor lots of guys. It’s an internal thing, and doesn’t require a commitment of resources. I’d be surprised if there weren’t a lot of teams monitoring Butler right now, along with any other impact player that can be a FA at the end of the year.
I know DXC, I was being sarcastic.
This article is total speculation
The Warriors will have to do something. The Heat will not be winning this year! Rozier still is not well. Wiggins and an unprotected 2028 First should do it.
Just about every team in the league would take those players listed there as ones that the Warriors are watching so it’s a bit of a BS story