Jimmy Butler Trade Worth it for Warriors?

Stephen Curry can’t do it all. Regardless of what Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the rest of the Golden State Warriors brain trust envision, significant playoff success won’t occur with the current roster. However, the front office moves this past summer indicated they have no interest in trading their young pieces for an All-Star.
Yet, a recent trade suggests the front office reneged on its original stance on the roster and risked it all for one more championship run.
Pat Riley’s rings and the Heat Culture could only do so much last season, as they were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics. With little to no roster improvement, the Miami Heat have few options since numerous stars either signed contract extensions or couldn’t force their way to the adjacent South Beach franchise.
Perhaps the Heat will take the next step in reassessing their expectations by trading away Jimmy Butler, the team’s heart and soul.
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report went through mock trades, all of which featured Butler. He attempted a trade for the Warriors, completely contradicting what the front office has communicated all offseason long.
However, when you want to win an NBA championship, you do it at all costs, even if it means risking the future.

Firstly, Butler is one of the greatest stories in NBA history. From the Philadelphia 76ers picking Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris over him to leading the Heat to two NBA Finals, Butler is a winner despite the odds.
However, he’s 35 and hasn’t played at least 65 games since the 2018-19 season. Furthermore, he’s due $48.7 million for the 2024-25 season and has a player option for $52.4 million. Although his injuries and age suggest he’s nearing the end of his career, that positions Butler with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Butler is championship-starved, and this feeling coincides with the Warriors. Despite the Warriors’ four championships, they don’t settle for missing the playoffs, and Butler extends their ceiling. Could the Warriors utilize Butler in the playoffs and allow for load management during the season to preserve the aging star?
It all boils down to whether the Warriors’ front office and ownership are willing to break their word for the sake of Curry and the fans.