Jimmy Butler trade grades for Warriors-Heat blockbuster ahead of deadline

Let’s grade the trade sending Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.

The long Jimmy Butler trade saga has finally reached a conclusion.

The Golden State Warriors acquired Butler from the Miami Heat for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a top-10 protected first-round pick, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. Schröder is going to the Utah Jazz, and Kyle Anderson is going to the Detroit Pistons, per insider Chris Haynes.

The trade isn’t the only piece of news in this deal. The Warriors have also signed Butler to a two-year, $121 million contract extension, according to Charania. Butler is now locked up in Golden State through the 2026-2027 season.

Butler was suspended multiple times by the Heat this season as he tried to force his way out of town. Butler was hoping to be traded to the Phoenix Suns, but the two sides couldn’t work out a deal because of Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause.

The Warriors tried to land Kevin Durant in a trade earlier on Wednesday, but they backed away when Durant indicated he wasn’t interested in a reunion in the Bay. The Warriors have been disappointing all year, sitting at 25-24 overall at the No. 10 seed in the West at the time of the trade. This move shortens Steve Kerr’s rotation but gives them another All-Star caliber player next to Stephen Curry.

Let’s grade this deal for both sides.

Warriors grade for Jimmy Butler trade

The Warriors have been stuck in mediocrity ever since their surprising 2022 NBA championship run. With Stephen Curry turning 37 years old in March, it was now or never for Golden State to make an aggressive move to get their aging superstar some more help. Butler is one of the best players available on the trade market, and it will be fascinating to see how he fits Steve Kerr’s system.

Butler is 35 years old, and he’s mostly made himself a part-time player this year as he tried a force a trade to Phoenix — which was reportedly the only team willing to give him a contract extension this summer before the Warriors changed their mind. Butler has only played 25 games this year, but he’s still been very good when he’s on the floor. He ranks in the 96th percentile of all offensive players this year according to Estimated Plus-Minus thanks to his outstanding scoring efficiency (64.4 percent true shooting), low turnover rate, and his ability to grease the offense with his passing.

Butler is still a monster finisher at the rim who consistently gets to the foul line and knocks down his free throws. He’s not much of a three-point shooter, with extremely low-volume during his tenure in Miami, and that makes him an interesting fit for the Warriors’ offense. Even if Golden State has some spacing concerns with Butler and Green in their closing lineup, the defense should be awesome, and Butler brings enough offensive skills to the table to mitigate his shaky jumper.

Butler can run isolations and pick-and-rolls to unlock Curry off the ball. Golden State ranks No. 28 in free throw rate, so his ability to generate points at the foul line will be a welcome bonus too. Butler is still a good defender, and he’s joining a top-10 unit this season. The Warriors defense should be elite with Jimmy and Draymond both on the floor.

The extension is the riskier part of this move. It will cover Butler in his age-36 and age-37 seasons. His durability is a big concern: Butler hasn’t played more than 64 games in a season since 2019. He’s only played more than 70 games twice in his 15-year career.

Still, Butler is a proven playoff riser in a way few players in the league can match. He dragged the Heat to two NBA Finals runs with tremendous on-ball creation and tough defense. You can count on him to be at his best in the biggest games. The Warriors are likely going to need to reach the playoffs through the play-in tournament, and will need to pull some upsets to go on a run if they make the playoffs. It’s nice to have a dog like Butler on your side.

Is Butler enough to put the Warriors over the top in the West? Probably not, but you never know. He’s a proven playoff performer. Golden State needed to an add an impact player to have any hope this season, and they found one.

Warriors grade: A-

Heat grade for Jimmy Butler trade

Miami did well to get a first-round pick and a useful player out of this deal in Wiggins. Butler’s market was depressed by the fact that he only wanted to go to Phoenix, but when the Warriors agreed to give him an extension, the two sides had a deal.

The Heat are getting Golden State’s top-10 protected first round pick in 2025. The pick has one more year of top-10 protection and then turns into a second round pick.

Wiggins has had a nice bounce-back season in Golden State this year. He’s averaging 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on 56.6 percent true shooting. Wiggins turns 30 later this month, making him quite a bit younger than Butler.

The Heat had to get rid of Butler, and they ended up making what feels like a solid trade under the circumstances. Where they go from here is far more interesting.

Heat grade: B+