Warriors Planned To Swiftly Cut Ties With Jimmy Butler In Favor Of $194 Million Superstar

Anthony Pasciolla | Feb 8, 2025

Jan 21, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots the basketball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors landed Miami Heat veteran Jimmy Butler in hopes of hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy a final time with superstar Stephen Curry at the helm.

However, it's quite obvious with the trade deadline past Butler was not their first choice of star to pair alongside Curry. NBA Insider Shams Charania of ESPN revealed the Warriors hoped to reunite with the Phoenix Suns' Kevin Durant, enough to where they were willing to swiftly part with Butler.

"The Warriors pursuit kickstarted all of these conversations when they began calling the Suns about a week and a half ago," Charania began on NBA Today.

"The Warriors made several aggressive offers, including one framework I'm told in a three-way that would have sent Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, first-round picks, second-round picks and swaps to the Phoenix Suns," Charania said. "But once Durant made it clear he did not want a reunion, he did not want to go back to the Warriors, the organization backed off."

Whether this will bother Butler or not remains to be seen, but the six-time All-Star was able to land a lucrative extension in Golden State. That was certainly among his top priorities, so it's tough to imagine he begins complaining about his new organization already.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.