The Golden State Warriors remained on top of the Western Conference with a 12-3 record after barely scraping by a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team on the road 112-108 on November 22.
Can they sustain this early surge and a 12-man rotation into the postseason?
Mo Dakhil, who worked as a video coordinator for a combined eight years for the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, expressed his concern on the “Kevin O’Connor Show” podcast recently about the Warriors’ lack of a clear-cut No. 2 option behind Stephen Curry.
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To address this, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed a trade that would land the Warriors a coveted No. 2 star next to Curry.
Miami Heat receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, De’Anthony Melton (trade-eligible on Dec. 15), Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick (via ATL) and a 2028 second-round pick (via ATL)
Golden State Warriors receive: Jimmy Butler and Kevin Love (trade-eligible on Dec. 15)
“If the Warriors are convinced Stephen Curry needs a costar to make a championship run, they probably aren’t doing better in this market than Butler (unless the world’s biggest fans of Kuminga and Podziemski happen to reside in Milwaukee’s front office). Butler has the experience to adjust on the fly, the playmaking ability to help bring even more out of Curry and the competitive fire to form a kindred-spirit type of bond with Draymond Green. Love’s range, vision and IQ have always made him an on-paper fit for this system,” Buckley wrote.
Playoff Jimmy as Steph Curry’s Co-Star?
A Butler trade would represent an all-in move for the Warriors to maximize Curry’s remaining years as an elite player in the NBA.
Getting Butler would give the Warriors his best co-star since Kevin Durant during their back-to-back title runs in 2017 and 2018.
Butler, 35, is called “Playoff Jimmy” for his penchant for playing big games during the postseason. While Butler lost in the NBA Finals twice with the Miami Heat, he averaged 24.1 points, 8.3 assists and 6.6 rebounds in 11 games.
Butler isn’t a good outside shooter, but he is one of most physical and mentally toughest swingmen in the league and possesses a solid midrange game that could complement Curry’s outside snipings and playmaking.
Warriors Checked in With Heat About Jimmy Butler
The Warriors are interested in Butler, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
“Jimmy Butler’s going to be a free agent next summer, didn’t get an extension done,” Amick said on “The TK Show” podcast on September 12. “The Warriors, as you know, have interest there and I think probably [they] made a couple of calls during the summer.”
Butler’s future in Miami was clouded with uncertainty following Heat president Pat Riley’s telling statement during his exit interview.
“We don’t have to do that for a year,” Riley told reporters about Butler’s extension while speaking to reporters during his exit interview on May 6. “And so, we have not discussed that internally right now, but we have to look at that, making that kind of commitment.”
Butler is on the final guaranteed year of his three-year $146.4 million contract. He holds a $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
Slowed down by an ankle injury, Butler returned with aplomb in the Heat’s 106-89 rout over his former team Philadelphia 76ers with 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists on November 18.