Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been suspended indefinitely as the team works on fulfilling his trade request. The Golden State Warriors were linked to Butler when his desire for a trade first became known, but reportedly backed off their pursuit of the six-time NBA All-Star when prominent organization members did not push for his addition (via The Athletic).
As Butler has become a bigger distraction in Miami, the team’s urgency to trade him has increased, leading to a reported decrease in asking price.
“The Heat’s price has dropped,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported. “They are willing to do more than they were when this all started.”
Amid this update, it was reported by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports that Golden State had re-entered the Butler trade pursuit.
“Sources: The Warriors are one of several teams back in the mix for Jimmy Butler now that the Heat have lowered their asking price,” O’Connor wrote on X.
While this seemingly is the case, a more recent report from Anthony Slater of The Athletic revealed Golden State has decided to prioritize Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine due to the belief he is a better cultural fit than Butler.
“Team sources have downplayed their recent involvement in conversations with the Heat, but there’s been a noticeable increase in intrigue from the front office about the idea of Butler at a bargain,” Slater wrote. “After pulse-taking conversations with multiple players, it seems Zach LaVine might pique more interest, depending on his cost.”
Slater added, “And if such a deal is possible, the idea of LaVine joining their midst has prompted some intrigue among key stakeholders. The presumption is he’d be a better fit in said culture.”
The remaining 2.5 years on LaVine’s five-year, $215 million contract have been a well-documented deterrent for any team with potential trade interest. That said, his $43 million salary for this season is less than Butler’s $48 million. This means the salary-matching challenge of a potential LaVine deal would not be any more complicated than a Butler trade.