Warriors Trade Pitch Swaps Kuminga, 2 First-Round Picks for 6-Time All-Star

The Golden State Warriors went big game hunting this summer in an effort to find a star running partner for Stephen Curry and came up empty-handed. However, almost five months remain until the NBA trade deadline in early February 2025.

Golden State is likely to be active on the market until then, and one player of specific intrigue is forward Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat . Butler is entering the second season of his three-year, $146 million deal in Miami but can opt out next summer via a player option.

Butler wanted a contract extension this summer, but Heat president Pat Riley shot that notion down -- or at least tabled the discussion until a later date. Butler responded by essentially pledging to find his way to the open market come June 2025, at which point he will presumably seek the best offer and join whichever franchise provides it.

That opens the door, at least theoretically, for Miami to consider dealing the six-time All-Star ahead of the deadline so as to ensure it gets something back in return for a player still in high demand around the league.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report on Friday, September 13, authored a trade pitch in which Golden State swaps a handful of assets to Miami for the right to add and then extend Butler.

The Warriors almost certainly need more raw talent to get back to the title contenders' tier. And the potential one-two punch from Curry and his unparalleled outside shooting and Butler's inside-the-arc scoring is easy to imagine.

A defense led by Butler and Draymond Green could cause plenty of heartache for opponents, too. With that trio and a solid supporting cast that would include Kyle Anderson , Brandin Podziemski , Buddy Hield and De'Anthony Melton , Golden State would at least give itself one more puncher's chance in Curry's age-36 campaign.

As Bailey outlined it, the Warriors would give up two first-round draft picks in 2029 and 2031 as the centerpieces of the deal, along with forward Jonathan Kuminga who is a potential star on the rise. Golden State would round out the package with Andrew Wiggins , Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II .

In return, the Dubs would get Butler and Josh Richardson from the Heat.