After getting word that Kevin Durant was opposed to the idea of reuniting with Golden State, the Warriors have opted to move on to other trade targets, ending their pursuit of the Suns forward, Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic confirm, echoing earlier reports.
According to Amick and Slater, the Warriors were willing to make a substantial offer for Durant and might have been in position to land him if he’d been even lukewarm on the possibility of coming back to the Bay Area, but they didn’t want to risk having to deal with a disgruntled KD.
On the subject of disgruntled stars, Amick and Slater say it’s still up in the air whether the Warriors will get back in the mix for Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who has also made it clear he’s not enthusiastic about the idea of being traded to Golden State.
However, NBA insider Marc Stein reports (via Twitter) that the Warriors have indeed shifted their focus back to trying to acquire Butler.
Golden State’s pursuit of Butler has seemingly been on and off again for the better part of a month. Shortly after the 35-year-old formally requested a trade, reports indicated that the Warriors didn’t plan to seek out a deal for him, but they exhibited renewed interest last week when the Heat’s asking price reportedly dropped.
Although ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said over the weekend that the Warriors were once again backing off Butler after he communicated that he wasn’t interested in signing an extension with the team, reports this week have suggested that Golden State was never fully out of the hunt. With Durant seemingly off the table, it makes sense that the Warriors would once again circle back to the Heat star.
As has been the case for weeks, the Suns and Warriors appear to be the frontrunners for Butler. Phoenix has been unable to work out a deal structured around Bradley Beal due to his no-trade clause and pricey contract, but if the Suns are willing to consider the idea of trading Durant to Miami for Butler, the Heat would certainly be interested, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
A swap along those lines would likely require Miami to attach a handful of sweeteners (draft picks, young players, etc.) to entice Phoenix — a third team may also still be necessary due to the Suns’ and Heat’s apron-related restrictions.
A Warriors offer for Butler would likely be centered around Andrew Wiggins, expiring contracts, and draft assets. Dennis Schröder‘s expiring deal (worth $13MM) would probably be part of Golden State’s package, according to Stein (Twitter link).
A team source tells The Athletic that the Warriors remain “determined” to get something done before Thursday’s deadline, so if they miss out on Butler, they could end up pivoting to a secondary target such as Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram or Bulls center Nikola Vucevic.
Regarding Ingram, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link) says the Pelicans have gained some traction on potential deals involving the star forward. Fischer and Stein have reported that the Raptors and Hawks are among the teams talking to New Orleans about Ingram.
As for Vucevic, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links) has heard that the Warriors aren’t sure about pursuing the big man at Chicago’s asking price, but suggests a deal remains possible if Golden State can’t land a bigger-name target and/or the Bulls’ price comes down.
This is reeking desperation levels.
The Warriors are the desperate guy at the bar who sees it’s 1:45 and needs to decide which bad option he will take home that night.
Black Ace, go ugly early.
Did the Bulls put all their money on the railroads and now they’re out of the Monopoly game?
The Warriors are stacked with green and orange cards and are players baby !!
Bulls have the reading railroad and one purple Mediterranean Baltic thing.
Heck, I’ll throw in Saint James Place because I think the community chest card is coming up for it soon.
You can watch by standing up in the kitchen around the table, but you’re out. We’ll start another game next Friday night if you’re interested. Don’t get hung up on the railroads next time, OK? They get you nowhere fast lol
I hope this is received in good humor, my friend raz427.
I guess the Warriors still aren’t willing to admit that they know nothing about just how much of a baby Butler can be when he doesn’t get what he wants. He’s the quickest way to derail a Championship Team. As long as we’re speaking about RR’s.
After him quitting in 2017 with us, I was never a fan of him. He quit on the team and kept wanting to play like booty to get traded and destroy his value so the team cannot recoup what he’s actually worth.
Gary,
Knowing my team we’ll settle for a few baltic avenue’s and a get out of jail free card with pay income tax. LOL
Didn’t he already just basically say he DIDN’T WANT to go to the Warriors? And they still want him anyway even though they know that? That reeks of somebody who loves true pain. Wow. Raz remember that quite well just how much of a jerk he can be being the first team he quit on. But obviously not going to be the last.
Please no!
Would much rather see them trade the 25 and top 1-20 of the 30 pick they owe the bottom of to WAS with DS getting rerouted to a team that wants him for the stretch run Hield and Waters for Cam Johnson. I think the Nets do that deal and he gives them length and shooting. They can look for a shooter on the buyout market to replace what Hield was supposed to be.
I can see it now. Tomorrow the Warriors pull off this trade, They have a Press Conference and a Parade telling everyone how good it’s gonna be. And then in June it’s going to be like everybody was when the Titanic sunk. They’ll be shaking their heads going ” Where did it go wrong”? And think back to this moment.
I think its a lot less likely than it seems. I almost think the offer is we will give you Wiggins and expirings to take Jimmy and some picks off your hands because Wiggins helps you now cause Jimmy isnt playing and you have no options and need to pay us to solve your problem or something.
I think a big part is GSW news generates clicks and the team is just working the phones to see if any of the prices drop to where theyre happy to do it.
suffered
No room for sweeteners with players with Mia and Phx as KD only makes 2.3 M more than Jimmy
There are ways it could be done.
Where there’s a fool, There’s a way Luke.
Oh my goodness this is genius and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it !!
This is a way to dump ALL the undesirables in one fell swoop. Take Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga Dennis Schroder, and also some favorites but the Warriors need to dump everyone so out the door goes Looney and Wiggins and the whole lot of them.
Bring in Jimmy and who gives a hoot whether he works out or not? Start fresh this summer !!!! This is the cell cell cell plan with one stop shopping !!
Kuminga gotta do a sign and trade for max trade value, not sure we can do that during the regular season Gary!
Not really how that works Davey. His value is higher rn to a team trying to acquire him because he’s STILL on the rookie deal. Meaning they have to give up less to get him.
Warriors aren’t getting a superstar for an inflated Kuminga contract. You’re looking at Jordan Poole 2.0 at that point.
I think Vooch Dray Jimmy Moody Steph with Post TJD Kuminga Podz Dennis might actually gel and make it to the WCF.
So LeBron to the Warriors isn’t happening? How does that not benefit all parties?
Lebron said he aint leaving LA…
Lets go ruin the future. Anybody not named Steph or Dray or Moody for Butler or Vucevic!
What a fkin soap opera man lmao
Everything rn feels like a 2k simulation
Vucevic or John Collins please, Dunleavy.
Any attempt to bring in some marginal guy will be such a major disappointment.
Warriors need to clean house.
I understand Jimmy because perhaps there’s a glimpse of hope he can be the Jimmy of old.
But Ingram or Vioch or whatever is just so disheartening.
Dump everyone, trade everyone bring back young guys and whatever pics you can get.
The same reports that claimed KD was happening. SMH I don’t believe any of this.
It’s just FO’s and agents probably trying to leverage the best deal at this point.
Warriors wanted KD since KD didn’t want them now the reporters are just making up things.
Lakers mite win the title now…
The Butler thing will go right to the wire. Unless MIA wants to continue this fisaco into the off season, they’re going to have to pick one of two bad alternatives, 1) Take the Beal contract (along with those low ceiling FRPs), or 2) Take what GSW (or any other team wanting Butler, if there is one) directly offers. Forget a 3rd team taking Beal.
For MIA to end up with KD would take more than sweetners. Basically, Butler is the sweetner. The heart of the trade package would have to be comprised of real assets going from MIA to PHX. Not sure MIA has have them, or, if they do, whether they want to relinquish them for KD.
Or the second Beal says yes to moving its done.
Butler to dubs
Ingram to raps
Bruce Brown, Olynyk 2026 frp to pels
Wiggins,picks to heat
FFS no one in the Bay wants Jimmy
Guess Cam Johnson goes there then?
You can salary match much better, and he probably costs you 2 firsts with one have light protections. He also is under a good contract for 2 more years at reasonable number. Keep Wiggins ship DS/Hield/Waters add Cam and sign a player or two on the buyout. If they could dump a tiny bit more salary you could offer buyout players the most allowable.
Dray and Jimmy on the same team? I can funnel all my hate onto one team. Nice.
Watching the Warriors perform a death rattle is amusing, I’ll admit it.
This place will explode regardless of whether the Dubs actually do or do nothing. Id rather see them sacrifice the future just to be out by either the play in or the 1st round.
Stephen Curry said he didnt want Jimmy, Jimmy said he didnt want Golden State. JUST MOVE ON AND AVOID THIS BOMB.
Warriors sans Butler – barely a play-in team. With Butler, a motivated Butler, could catapult up to 7th very easily. Honestly I wouldn’t give up a single FRP, because why would you if the Suns deal is predicated on taking on Beal, the fact that you don’t have an albatross contract involved is already bargaining from a position of power.
Wiggins, GP3, Schroeder, and H2O3.
Money works, possibly involve a 3rd team or the Heat waive guys.
He’s not good enough to put them over the top and at this point why would any team want to risk the headache he brings?
Please Warriors……..Forget Butler!!……..he is a cancer…….why disrupt your team to placate a has-been and possibly lose a future star or two to satisfy the fat ego of an owner……take your lumps this year and try to better the team during the off-season rather than make a ill advised move.
Why not trade for Butler? With a chip on his shoulder and locked in Butler is one of the best two way players in the league. If he sulks and plays half a$sed no big deal. They aren’t going to win a championship with this roster as constructed anyway. He either walks or gets extended for a sign and trade and the Warriors get out from under some cumbersome contracts. Who knows they may get back something decent if they go the sign and trade option.
Honestly, the warriors are done. Rather than cobble together some team around Steph with scotch tape, they should let him try to find a place ready made to win. Steph should move on. Blasphemy, I know, but they’re done. Gotta start fresh.
If the warriors trade for Butler, it should be with Steph taking his talents the other way to south beach.