Warriors won't pursue Jimmy Butler as Nikola Vucevic has emerged as
preferred target, per report
Brad Botkin
Now that Jimmy Butler has officially, and once again rather dramatically,
demanded a trade from the Miami Heat, who have in turn suspended Butler
for seven games for "several instances of conduct detrimental to the team"
as they pursue a deal, the Warriors would appear to have a golden
opportunity to swoop in and grab the second star they need.
But according to The Athletic, Golden State is not interested in Butler, who
would simply cost too much -- both in terms of the max money he's going to
want as a 35-year-old free agent this summer and the high package price of
trading for him in the first place.
From The Athletic:
... The math to complete a deal for Butler — or anyone making anywhere
near his salary figure — is tricky. To acquire him, either Andrew Wiggins, at
$26.2 million, or Draymond Green, at $24.1 million, would have to be part of
the deal to match salaries, along with a handful of other role players.
Of those two, the expectation is it'd be Wiggins, which is part of the
hesitation inside the Warriors' walls. Wiggins has regained his form as the
team's most reliable nightly perimeter defender while hitting 40 percent of
his 3s. He's well-liked by teammates and coaches and, in a win-now
environment, the Warriors maintain more interest in trades that allow them
to keep Wiggins in the fold next to Curry and Green.
... While acknowledging Butler's ability, sources inside the locker room (and
the Warriors' coaching staff and front office) would rather keep their two best
wings than acquire Butler.
On top of Wiggins, who would mostly just be the money-matching part of a
deal, the Heat would almost certainly require Jonathan Kuminga, the
Warriors' best current hope for a future foundational player, plus potential
future draft picks. What would the Warriors' net gain, through a playoff prism,
be by adding a proven two-way postseason star at the expense of their two
best wings?
Reasonable minds can disagree on the answer to that question, but
ultimately, it appears the Warriors, having already added Dennis Schroder,
are inclined to go after a trade that won't break their bank that, theoretically,
enhances their chances of a playoff push.
According to the Athletic, that player could be Chicago center Nikola Vucevic,
who is having an outstanding season, particularly as a 3-point shooter who
could stretch the floor for Curry and a Warriors offense that is pretty cramped
for space across its most viable lineups.
Brooklyn's Cam Johnson is also mentioned as a potential Warriors target, but
he would cost a lot more. Again, according to The Athletic, teams like the
Thunder and Kings could be in "hotter pursuit." The Warriors aren't interested
in a bidding war. They're looking for a clearance-rack purchase that may turn
out to be a full-on steal.
Through that lens, Vucevic makes sense. He likely wouldn't vault the Warriors
into legit contender status, but he would relieve a decent amount of
offensive pressure from Curry and at least give the Warriors the look of a
team that isn't completely giving up on this era.
Warriors fans won't love it. They'll see it as a move of appeasement rather
than substance, but perhaps that's the smart play. This team is probably a lot
farther from contention than fans want to admit, and an overzealous move
for Butler could just further cripple the future the Warriors are trying to
protect beyond Curry's reign. Which, like it or not, will be coming to an end
sooner than later.
