Everyone knew that a trade was coming, but they didn't know where he would end up. It was clear that Jimmy Butler's time with the Miami Heat was coming to an end. On Feb. 5, his departure became official when Golden State acquired him. The trade looked like a win for the Warriors in the second half of the season, elevating the team to contender status, but they've since fallen.
Golden State is No. 8 in the West with a 13-14 record, two and a half games ahead of falling out of play-in tournament range. The Warriors started the season off hot, but due to injuries, rotation questions, and inconsistencies (among other things), they sit below .500. Clawing their way into the play-in tournament won't be good enough, not for a team with a closing title window.
All things considered, Butler did well acclimating to his new surroundings after last year's trade, giving the Warriors another star to boost their championship hopes. Outside of Steph Curry, he's one of their only offensive threats, but as Heat fans can relate to, Golden State needs Butler to be more assertive on the offensive end.
Also, as Miami fans know, Butler has dealt with lingering knee issues for a few years, and so far this season, he's missed a few games for the Warriors due to soreness. History shows that he's overcome his knee troubles before, but will he be able to do so while elevating the Warriors' 21st-ranked offense?
The fact that's the kind of question being asked nearly a year after the trade shows that the Heat are better off now than they were. It helps, too, that Miami is 14-12, eighth in the East, but a game and a half back from No. 3 Toronto.
Heat look better than ever for Jimmy Butler trade
Miami isn't stuck paying Butler, who is 36, $54.1 million this season and $56.8 million in 2026-27, like Golden State is. He agreed to sign a two-year, $121 million extension with the Warriors right after the trade. It's a win in itself that the Heat didn't feel obligated to commit that kind of money to him, especially in the latter years of his 30s.
Golden State's primary motivation behind the trade was to add another star to its roster to help Curry and Draymond Green lift another trophy. Anything less than that will be a disappointment. There is a very real chance that Butler will have come closer to winning a title with the Heat than he ever will with the Warriors.
As unfortunate as it is that Butler didn't lead Miami to a championship, the Heat moved on from him at the right time. Another bonus is that Andrew Wiggins, whom the team acquired in the trade from the Warriors, could be a player the front office uses to upgrade the roster at the deadline (draft assets would be nice, too!).
Butler hasn't been the headache in San Francisco that he was during the end of his time in Miami, but the trade (and extension) may not work in the Warriors' favor in the way it seemed it would at the end of last season.