Siegel's Scoop: Making sense of Jimmy Butler-Warriors rumors, latest trade block intel
12/13/2024 11:52 AM
December is always an exciting month in the NBA. Aside from new attention being cast on the Emirates NBA Cup, as well as the Christmas Day games being headline matchups, this is the time when the NBA trade market begins to heat up. Coincidentally enough, it’s the Miami Heat that has the full attention of the other 29 teams in the league due to the Jimmy Butler trade rumors that blew up over the last week.
Whether or not the Heat are truly at peace with the idea of parting ways with Butler is a debatable topic among league circles. On one hand, it never hurts from a front-office perspective to know the value of your players and the options that could present themselves. At the same time, Butler was the driving force behind Miami making it to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. As good as Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are, Butler is the face of the franchise.
Now that he is 35 years old and can opt out of his contract with the Heat after the 2024-25 season, the question for this organization dwells on their long-term future. Does Miami see a future where they can still be contenders with Butler spearheading their roster? It does not seem like Pat Riley and this front office have a clear idea of this yet, especially since Butler wanted an extension in the offseason and the Heat refused to give in to his max demands.
The idea of Butler being traded is notable, but not necessarily new. In the offseason, a handful of teams spoke directly with the Heat’s leadership about the six-time All-Star being available. These calls were quickly turned down, yet here we are a few months later seeing Butler as the focal point of rumors just about eight weeks until the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Of the teams to inquire about Butler in the offseason, the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets were at the front of the list. Funny enough, these are the three teams he is rumored to have an interest in going to if traded this season.
Even with all three organizations in many different positions than they were when interest in Butler first surfaced, these are the teams once again being linked to the Heat star. Whereas the Rockets and Mavericks may not make the most sense for the Texas native at this time, the idea of Butler being traded to the Warriors is certainly worth discussing.
Golden State wants to prioritize winning with Stephen Curry right now. After De’Anthony Melton suffered a season-ending ACL injury, his contract now opens the door for the Warriors to become the biggest buyers at the trade deadline.
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Warriors interested in Jimmy Butler?
There is a clear need for a second star next to Curry. While this was a title held by Klay Thompson alongside Curry for years, the Warriors went in a different direction during the offseason when they sent Thompson to Dallas by way of a sign-and-trade. Even before this deal was completed, the Warriors turned their attention to targeting All-Star-level talent by pursuing Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.
Of course, it is worth noting that the Dubs targeted George before he opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, and the organization’s pursuit of Markkanen came before the Utah Jazz star restructured and agreed to a new deal. In both scenarios, the Warriors were hesitant to sacrifice all of their draft assets and young talents to add George and Markkanen. While the Clippers insisted on fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga being included in trade dialogue, league sources told ClutchPoints, the Jazz turned their attention to Brandin Podziemski and future, unprotected first-round picks that Golden State would have needed to include.
In the wake of trade talks with the Clippers and Jazz fizzling out, the Warriors turned their attention to their youthful core, giving Moses Moody a three-year, $33 million contract extension to avoid the former first-round pick from becoming a restricted free agent next offseason. The same could not be said for Kuminga, as the two sides were far apart on extension talks due to the former seventh overall pick and his representation valuing him the same as Scottie Barnes and Franz Wagner, two young stars who received max-level rookie-scale extensions in the summer.
All of this factors into rumors about Butler and the Warriors now, which happens to be just days before Dec. 15, when the majority of players who signed in free agency this past offseason become eligible to be traded. This is around the time when trade talks around the league begin to form and intensify, which is why it is not all that surprising that info about the relationship between Butler and the Heat beginning to fracture is being leaked.
So, what does all of this have to do with Butler and the Warriors?
Well, the Warriors inquired about Butler’s availability before sending Thompson to the Mavs and before agreeing to free agency deals with Melton, Buddy Hield, and Kyle Anderson, sources said. The Heat held no interest in discussing Butler in trade talks, which is why nothing ever materialized. With Butler reportedly being open to a Warriors trade, this is once again something for Golden State to ponder.
If general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and owner Joe Lacob want to get this deal done, there is a path to the Warriors doing so. At the same time, a trade between Miami and Golden State that sends Butler to The Bay comes with complications.
Butler is making $48.8 million this season and is on a team that is currently a first-apron team. The Warriors are operating as a team below the first apron, but they are hard-capped, meaning that they can’t exceed a total payroll of $178.1 million this season whatsoever. Where the problem lies is that Golden State is just $533,659 from reaching this hard cap, meaning that they would almost definitely have to send out over $48.8 million in salary to match Butler’s contract and leave room to fill out the remainder of their roster.
Perhaps the most notable piece of intel in connection to Golden State is that whispers between league circles suggest interest is still mutual. Butler would welcome a trade to the Warriors, and the Dubs would be thrilled to add the veteran All-Star next to Curry and Draymond Green. However, getting to roughly $50 million in outgoing salary would need to involve the Warriors giving up several valuable pieces.
Right off the bat, Andrew Wiggins would need to be included in any structure of a Butler deal, which is something the Warriors are not sold on, sources said. Wiggins has been a huge part of the team’s core since arriving during the 2019-20 season, and the former first-overall pick is having arguably his best season since Golden State won their last title in 2022. Along with Wiggins, Melton’s contract would be attached to said trade package, along with either Gary Payton II or Buddy Hield.
Should Payton be the choice here, that is a total of $48.2 million in salary. Now comes the value part of the trade with Kuminga and first-round picks going to Miami. No matter what, this wouldn’t be just a two-team trade, as another team would likely come in to take on Melton’s salary for this season since the Heat can’t take back extra contracts. It is also worth noting that any hypothetical trade package between the Warriors and Heat would also likely include either Josh Richardson or Alec Burks heading to Golden State.
A trade of this magnitude results in the Warriors holding onto part of their young core with Moody and Podziemski, but a chunk of their defensive presence on the perimeter with Wiggins, Kuminga, and Payton would be leaving. While possible, tearing apart the middle of their roster for Butler, who is 35 years old, may not be the best of moves for the Warriors. This is especially true since they worked hard to cut overall costs and dip below the first apron. Adding Butler and then giving him a max-level contract once again limits this organization financially for years to come.
The Warriors have flexibility for once, and the expiring contracts of Melton, Payton, Kuminga, and Kevon Looney open the door for countless scenarios. Golden State also owns the rights to all of their first-round picks except in 2030, as they sent this pick with top-20 protections to the Washington Wizards in the Chris Paul-Jordan Poole trade before the 2023-24 season.
Rival teams expect the Warriors to wait and see how the trade market develops before pulling the trigger on any deal. Lacob has always held strong intentions of targeting All-Star-level players for his organization, and the Butler situation in Miami is certainly one he will be monitoring. Elsewhere, the Brooklyn Nets remain a key team for the Warriors to consider making a trade with ahead of the deadline.
The Nets are making their entire roster available and have made it known to the rest of the league that they want to take on expiring contracts and draft assets for any of their players. Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dennis Schroder are the three biggest names connected to Golden State and other contending teams, with Bojan Bogdanovic still being a question mark due to injury. While they will listen to offers that come their way for Cam Thomas, it would come as a shock to many if Brooklyn parted ways with the young scorer. Then again, every player has a price tag, and the Nets would move the 23-year-old if they were to receive a plethora of assets.
Johnson, Finney-Smith, and Schroder are all obtainable trade targets for the Warriors that wouldn’t result in Wiggins being included in any package, a scenario that favors Golden State. The Nets are said to be asking for a first-round pick for Schroder, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Chatter among league personnel values Schroder around two to three second-round picks, as many are weary about the idea of giving up a future first-round pick for a two-month rental. Out of the three Nets players, sources say Schroder is the one the Warriors have held the most interest in.
Other secondary talents that the Warriors have discussed as potential trade targets are Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo, Portland Trail Blazers defensive wing Matisse Thybulle, and two Toronto Raptors players in Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown. Whereas the Raptors are open to moving both veterans, the Timberwolves have not given any indications that they will make DiVincenzo available in trade discussions. Minnesota has always had eyes for DiVincenzo, and now that they finally got him, it is unlikely that they would part with him for draft assets and Melton’s expiring contract.
In regards to the Raptors, Brown is a player many teams are closely monitoring as he continues to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery. His expiring $23 million contract is one of the most valuable on the trade market.
As far as chatter for other star-level players, Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine are not on the Warriors’ radar, league sources said. Ingram’s market remains thin, and his recent ankle injury does not help his case to be moved from the New Orleans Pelicans. The only other star worth bringing up for the Warriors is Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, and this is simply because these two organizations engaged in discussions surrounding the NBA’s all-time leading scorer at the trade deadline last year.
James’ agent, Rich Paul, made his stance on not wanting LeBron to go to Golden State clear, and the 20-time All-Star told Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and management that he was solely focused on winning in Los Angeles. That mindset has not changed to this point, sources said, and James continues to be devoted to the Lakers. It would be almost impossible for the Warriors and Lakers to pull off this trade anyway without the help of two to three other teams.
Whether the Warriors look to move Melton’s $12.8 million contract by itself or include it in a package for a superstar like Butler, this organization has plenty of options on the trade market.
Mavericks, Rockets, Suns involvement in Butler trade rumors
The Warriors are among a handful of teams name-dropped as potential suitors for Butler this trade cycle. Along with the Mavericks and Rockets once again appearing as desired destinations for him, the Phoenix Suns have surprisingly emerged as the possible top spot for Butler.
With Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal headlining their roster, the Suns own the second-highest total cap in the league at $234.5 million this season, trailing only the Timberwolves. As a second-apron team, Phoenix can’t aggregate salaries for a player like Butler, meaning their only path to pursuing the Heat star is by trading one of their three All-Star talents. Durant and Booker aren’t going anywhere, which leads to conversations about Beal’s future.
For starters, Beal has a full no-trade clause, allowing him to veto any potential trade he could be involved in. If the Suns were serious about wanting to move the three-time All-Star, they would not only need his permission, but he would have to sign off on the team he would be going to. Prior to waiving his no-trade clause with the Washington Wizards and being dealt to the Suns, Miami was one of the only other teams with a strong interest in Beal. Could there actually be a path here to a blockbuster deal being made between the Heat and Suns?
Since minimum contracts act as a loophole to the aggregating salaries rule for second-apron teams, the framework of a Butler and Josh Richardson trade for Beal is legal for both organizations. The catch here is whether Miami would even want to take on Beal and the remaining $110 million on the 31-year-old’s contract past the 2024-25 season since they don’t seem to have interest in extending Butler at the moment.
This whole saga of Butler being linked to the Suns for Beal is simply something to monitor over the coming weeks leading into 2025. After all, as Suns radio legend John Gambadoro put it recently, Phoenix is going to play things out and evaluate their position leading up to the trade deadline before determining if a significant change is needed.
Also, while on the topic of the Suns, it is worth mentioning recent fake reports surrounding Blazers center Robert Williams III. Phoenix has not engaged in discussions with Portland recently regarding Williams, league sources confirmed, nor have the Rockets. This is simply false, as Houston discussed Williams as a potential target in the offseason around the time of NBA Summer League. The Rockets have not contacted the Blazers recently about the athletic big man.
The player who has been mentioned on numerous occasions in connection with the Rockets is Butler. Houston is off to a fantastic start this season at 17-8 overall, and they will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals of the NBA Cup in Las Vegas on Saturday evening. After missing the playoffs in four consecutive seasons without James Harden, the Rockets finally seemed poised to take that next step and emerge in the West as a young, threatening team the same way the Thunder did over the last year or so.
A talent of Butler’s caliber would not only cement this status for the Rockets, but he would fit in seamlessly with the way Ime Udoka coaches his team. What makes Houston an unlikely landing spot for Butler at the moment is that this organization has no intentions of fracturing their young core, sources said. Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green both received extensions in the offseason, and Tari Eason is a player the Rockets value highly. Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson are two other recent first-round picks general manager Rafael Stone and the Rockets’ front office have raved about.
It is highly unlikely that Houston parts ways with their young core now for an older star like Butler. Instead, Stone and the Rockets will continue to stockpile assets and develop their youthful talents in hopes of a younger superstar becoming available. After all, Donovan Mitchell was the player the Rockets were willing to sacrifice a ton of assets for before he signed an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Marc Stein.
The Rockets have been pleased with their development to this point, and it is much more likely that they will look to pull off a big move next offseason when Fred VanVleet’s $44.8 million team option comes into play. Expect to see Houston gauge the market for another scorer on the wing with the contracts of Jae’Sean Tate, Jock Landale, and Jeff Green.
Remaining in Texas, let’s discuss the Mavericks and how they fit into the Butler equation. The Heat star was brought up as a possibility for the Mavs to discuss this past offseason. That is no longer the case, as moves to add Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Quentin Grimes have solidified Dallas’ roster. Plus, Butler is known for being a primary playmaker and facilitator, a role he would not hold in an offense run by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. While Butler may have an interest in playing for the Mavericks, that interest is not mutual at this time.
This is not to say that Dallas won’t be looking to make any moves at the deadline. While hard-capped at the first apron and roughly $500K below this mark, the Mavs have Maxi Kleber making $11 million as a middle-tier contract to play around with. It is possible that a deal involving Kleber, Olivier Maxence-Prosper, and the unknown second-round pick that Dallas owns in 2025 could result in Dallas adding another key secondary talent for their bench unit. Talk in league circles is that the Mavericks have no intentions of dealing PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, or Dereck Lively II.
The Suns, Rockets, and Mavericks all face different obstacles when it comes to the latest rumors tied to Butler and the Heat. Over the course of the next few weeks leading into 2025 and moving closer to the one-month mark until the trade deadline, more clarity will be provided as to what the future holds for Butler.
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Kyle Kuzma on the trade block
At 3-19 on the season, the Washington Wizards are fully committed to building their young core and focusing on development the rest of the year. Where does that leave Kyle Kuzma, who is in his eighth season and turning 30 in July?
The Wizards forward is still under contract through the 2026-27 season, making it somewhat difficult for teams to fully commit to his numbers. With this said, Kuzma is drawing trade interest because his contract decreases in value by close to $2.1 million each season. Despite the fact that the organization still values his leadership and contributions at either forward position, rival front offices expect Washington to show more of a willingness to part ways with Kuzma ahead of the deadline this season after he was almost dealt to the Mavericks a year ago.
Believe it or not, Kuzma actually holds a strong market as a secondary player who has proven to be able to lead his team’s offensive attack at times. The Warriors, Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, and Detroit Pistons have all been linked to Kuzma recently, sources said. It is worth noting that the Milwaukee Bucks also expressed interest in Kuzma previously, yet it would be almost impossible for them to acquire him due to second-apron restrictions. The Lakers, Heat, and Cleveland Cavaliers are three other teams that have been in the Kuzma market over the last year, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Lakers, Wizards to make a trade?
Kuzma is the obvious name to be on the move from the Wizards ahead of the trade deadline, and a reunion with the Lakers could make a lot of sense given Los Angeles’ need for more scoring weapons on the wing. However, big man Jonas Valanciunas is the Wizards player who has been linked to the Lakers the most in recent weeks. Valanciunas becomes eligible to be traded on Dec. 15, and the two sides have already discussed the framework of a couple of different scenarios, league sources said.
In what is no secret to anyone, the Lakers want to add big man depth next to Anthony Davis. Valanciunas appears to be the guy at the front of the list even though he still has two more years left on his contract after this season. There are rumors bouncing among league circles that the Lakers are prepared to part ways with D’Angelo Russell and a couple of second-round picks to land the Wizards center, a deal that would most definitely have more moving parts to it. Malcolm Brogdon is another Wizards player who comes up in connection with the Lakers throughout league circles.
Another scenario the Lakers have discussed involves Gabe Vincent and second-round draft picks, according to ClutchPoints’ Lakers insider Anthony Irwin. Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, or Jaxson Hayes would also likely be involved in the said package to open up more financial flexibility in Los Angeles. The Lakers have five second-round picks that they can play around with ahead of the trade deadline.
Robert Williams III, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, Nick Richards, and Bruce Brown are other players the Lakers have internally discussed leading back to the start of the season as potential trade targets.
Butler, who was once named a possible big-name target for the Lakers, doesn’t have any connection to Los Angeles ahead of the trade deadline, sources said.
Latest on Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic markets
The Chicago Bulls are open to all offers that come their way for Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic, sources said. With both former All-Stars healthy, Chicago has received calls about both players, yet nothing is imminent or progressing at this time. Vucevic is the more likely of the two players to be moved ahead of the trade deadline due to his production and significantly smaller contract than that of LaVine. Still, the Bulls believe both players can be moved for draft compensation in the next several weeks.
As for teams that could potentially target one of the Bulls’ two veteran stars, very few organizations have the capability to trade for LaVine because of his contract. LaVine is in the third year of his $215.1 million max contract and is making $43 million this season. The Pistons previously showed interest in LaVine over the offseason, but it is not expected that these talks will reignite. Vucevic, on the other hand, is drawing interest from the Warriors, Lakers, Pelicans, and Pistons, sources said. Several other teams may very well emerge as suitors for Vucevic ahead of the trade deadline given his production and experience.
Before re-signing Brook Lopez in 2023, the Bucks expressed interest in Vucevic, sources said. Whether or not Milwaukee would again show interest in Vuc is contingent on what happens with Lopez and Bobby Portis this season. The Bucks have zero interest in trading Khris Middleton at this time, sources said.
Ayo Dosunmu is a player many teams have shown interest in and have called the Bulls to inquire about, league sources said. It is unknown at this time if Chicago would be willing to part ways with the 24-year-old combo guard. Lonzo Ball is also available as a $21.3 million expiring contract in trade talks.
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Kings seeking wing help
The Sacramento Kings are not where they want to be at 13-13 on the season. While there is a level of optimism that exists internally, the Kings are primed to make some sort of addition in the trade market this season with Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and first-round pick Devin Carter being valuable trade assets. Huerter and Lyles combine to make $24.8 million, giving Sacramento a solid buffer to explore the trade market with. There is still nothing to suggest the Kings would want to part ways with Keegan Murray.
Nets forward Cam Johnson and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are two players the Kings held interest in dating back to the offseason, league sources said. The problem with pursuing Johnson is that Brooklyn is looking for expiring contracts in return, which doesn’t match Huerter and Lyles since both players are under contract through the 2025-26 season. LaVine is another player that the Kings have long held interest in, yet many league personnel feel targeting the Bulls star isn’t in Sacramento’s plans this year.
Another player the Kings have had serious interest in through the years is Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. At this time, Minnesota hasn’t given any indications to rival teams that they are wanting to move McDaniels, sources said. A handful of teams would be interested in the defensive forward if the Timberwolves were open to discussing trades, which they aren’t based on what is being said around the league at this juncture.
Other notes and intel from around the NBA
Denver Nuggets: There is a sense among league circles that the Denver Nuggets will show a willingness to listen to offers that come their way for Michael Porter Jr. Denver is not actively looking to move Porter, but general manager Calvin Booth has always operated with the mindset of keeping his options open. Could the Nuggets be a potential dark horse team to get involved in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes in order to pair the star wing with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic? The most likely scenario for Denver ahead of the deadline is to add some scoring help by way of Zeke Nnaji’s contract.
Indiana Pacers: As is the case every season around the trade deadline, teams are inquiring about veteran center Myles Turner’s availability, sources said. While the Indiana Pacers are not actively shopping Turner, the organization is showing more of a willingness this season to hear offers from rival teams for the shot-blocking big man. It is expected that Obi Toppin will also once again see his name on the trade block if the Pacers look to make an upgrade at the deadline. Indiana continues to show no interest in dealing backup point guard TJ McConnell, who multiple teams inquired about last season.
Memphis Grizzlies: Marcus Smart has been targeted by several playoff-contending teams through the months. The Lakers, Warriors, Rockets, and Orlando Magic have all checked in on Smart dating back to the start of the offseason. However, the Memphis Grizzlies have continued to show no interest in dealing Smart despite the rise of secondary players like Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaylen Wells. This has not stopped league personnel from wondering if Smart could be available for the right price.
New Orleans Pelicans: Despite being 5-21 this season, the Pelicans are not expected to be major sellers at the trade deadline. Instead, executive David Griffin and his front office are expected to revamp their roster and focus on getting Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones more opportunities. The Pelicans hold zero interest in trading either player, as the organization has turned down every team inquiring about Jones and Murphy dating back to the offseason. Along with hearing offers for Ingram, the Pelicans are also open to seeing what CJ McCollum’s value on the trade market is.
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