Frontcourt Help, Not Jimmy Butler, is Main Trade Target for Desperate Warriors

As expected, the Warriors are one of the main teams coming up in trade talk rumors around the NBA. They started off hot, fell off a cliff, and now are facing a key decision point in a rapidly deteriorating season. Not only that, but the window for their big stars is rapidly closing.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

All of those aspects together mean they need to make a move if they want to save their season. While the team is underperforming as a whole, the talent is definitely there. They are also still in the playoff picture. There’s a lot of basketball left, and no matter how discouraging the last month has been, it’s not too late to turn things around.

The Warriors have a ton of draft capital, which has led to much speculation about who they’re going to bring in. With recent acquisition Dennis Schroder not working out as expected, the team is now back on the market.

However, it seems they don’t want a superstar. They just need some help down low.

Butler No More

The one name popping up for the Warriors over and over again over the past few weeks has been Jimmy Butler. The superstar is clearly not happy in Miami (as shown by his recent seven game suspension) and he wants to be just about anywhere else but South Beach.

That’s bad news for the Heat, but it’s good news for other teams around the league. Many reports stated he would be a good fit for Golden State, as his skill set and star power both perfectly complement Stephen Curry.

However, that pairing seems unlikely to come to fruition. As with so many moves, it looks a lot better on paper than it does in real life. That’s because there are two key barriers standing in the way of the hypothetical move.

First, if Butler does decide to opt out of his contract he will be a free agent in the summer. In that case, all signs point to the fact that he’ll want a max contract. That’s not too bad for some teams, but for the Warriors it’s likely more than they’ll want to pay.

The team is focusing on the now, but within reason. Paying that much cash for an aging star isn’t exactly a great move. The Warriors have limited capacity, and their goal is to foster their young players rather than ring-chasing with a bunch of older ones.

Not Willing to Budge

While the above contract disputes are keeping the Warriors away from Butler, they aren’t the only reason he won’t end up in Golden State. Miami also seems to have their eye on either Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga, two players the Warriors don’t want to part with.

“They don’t have interest in giving [Butler] the deal he’s waiting for,” said NBA insider Sam Amick. “I don’t think they’re looking to make him a rental…to this point, they’ve been pretty happy with Andrew Wiggins’ play, and the idea of giving up Jonathan Kuminga, even though he’s hurt right now, is not something they want to do.”

Wiggins and Kuminga are two key parts in the Warriors’ future plans. Dealing them would cripple a lot of what the team is trying to build, especially if they make a move for someone as old as Butler.

If they did go all in on someone in that manner, it would be for a much younger player. Butler is a great player, but the Warriors need to balance their present and their future too.

Going Big, Not Home

Rather than making a play for another guard, it now seems the Warriors are going to go in the opposite direction and look for a big man. They have a lot of shooters, but getting someone with a bit more size and power would help them a lot too.

Reports state that the team is interested in the likes of Jonas Valanciunas, Nikola Vuevic, Chris Boucher, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Nick Richards. All of those would provide them with much-needed size without costing too much down the line.

Of the group, Vucecic and Valanciunas are the top options. Both have a ton of upside and are capable of being big down low while also being able to run the floor when asked. They have the ability to leak out and defend the perimeter as well.

All of the big men come with extra contract limitations, but they are nowhere close to the cap hit the Warriors would take going after a big name like Butler. It would also fill a key hole the Warriors haven’t had in quite some time.

The Warriors have a lot of talent throughout their roster. Even if it isn’t gelling in the way they had hoped, the pieces could fit on another team. If they do, Golden State will surely make a deal.