Warriors expected to trade injured stud for $146 million Heat star in three-team trade

The Golden State Warriors should get serious about acquiring another superstar to partner with Stephen Curry.

The elite wing of the Miami Heat dissatisfied with his current situation, he could be a perfect fit for the Warriors.

“The Warriors were reportedly not interested when the (Jimmy) Butler sweepstakes opened early in the season,” Sam Quinn of CBS Sports wrote on Friday.

“Could this change? “Steve Kerr openly admitted that Stephen Curry is currently struggling with all the failures in Golden State.”

“Who could blame him? He’s on track for another All-NBA selection, but he’s playing on a team that doesn’t even have another scorer averaging 17 points per game.

“Buddy Hield was supposed to replace his Splash Brother with Klay Thompson in Dallas.”

“He shot over 44% from three in October and November, but dropped below 32% in December and January. Nobody else on this team can score a goal. Butler can change that.”

“Getting him would mean sacrificing (Jonathan) Kuminga, the last remnant of Golden State’s ill-fated ‘dual timeline’ venture. Would it be such a great loss for them?”

“He certainly has untapped potential and elite athletic qualities. He also never quite fit into Steve Kerr’s movement offense. He may need a new team to fulfill his potential.

“He may simply not be a good fit on a team that (rightfully) excuses the end of Curry’s prime.”

Under Quinn’s three-team trade proposal, the Warriors would receive Jimmy Butler and Jevon Carter; The Heat will receive Kuminga, Dennis Schröder and Andrew Wiggins, and the Bulls will receive Gary Payton II, a 2026 second-round pick and a cash consideration.

Butler was a revelation for a Heat franchise that was hoping to stay competitive after massive lineup changes.

From drilling mid-range jumpers in crucial moments to taking on one-on-one defensive challenges with skillful perimeter attacks, Butler earned the nickname “Playoff Jimmy” in Miami.

Despite failing to win a championship in 2020 and 2023, Butler was viewed as an asset that could keep the Heat competitive in the Eastern Conference.

Unfortunately, the Heat did not start the 2024-2025 campaign on a high and struggled to stay afloat at the start of the year.

Butler, averaging 17.6 points per game on 55.2% shooting from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, recently requested a trade from Miami and must serve a seven-game suspension for publicly criticizing the organization.

Given that the Warriors are looking for an established and talented superstar to complement Curry in the Bay, it would make sense for Golden State to quickly pursue the six-time All-Star.

Including Kuminga, an injured stud who has the potential to blossom into a star, in a trade package for Butler would not impress the Warriors.

However, as Curry nears the end of his career, the Warriors need to surround the future Hall of Famer with the most valuable assets possible.

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