The Jimmy Butler III trade was easily the second-most chaotic trade that happened before the 2025 NBA trade deadline passed.
For the Miami Heat, trading him away was about getting rid of a problem in the locker room. For the Golden State Warriors, trading for him was about trying to capitalize on their closing window with Stephen Curry. Both teams have been greatly impacted since the trade went down.
Golden State Has Thrived Since Jimmy Butler’s Arrival
The Heat and Warriors agreed to the blockbuster Butler trade on February 7. Since that day, the Warriors have gone 12-2, while the Heat have gone 4-11. All things considered, this was a brilliant move by Golden State.
Their season was faltering before the Butler trade. While their original target was Kevin Durant, Butler was quite the consolation prize, and it’s shown on the court. Butler can still play at an All-Star level for sure, but what makes him quite the ceiling-raiser is that he covers so much ground on both sides of the floor.
With Miami, he was their No. 1 guy, which was why they were underestimated repeatedly when he was there. Even if he’s not of the same caliber as a star like Curry or LeBron James, his elite defense and ability to create shots —despite never being a dependable floor spacer—make him quite the weapon, and now he’s the Warriors’ No. 2 guy.
Butler Playing With More Freedom
Having one of the NBA’s best scorers by his side, with Curry, allows him the freedom of not carrying the scoring load. That, in turn, allows him to focus more on what makes him such a tough player to beat. Butler’s skills are ultimately what makes him a winner and why his teams typically win.
The Warriors went from a team whose season was on the brink of missing the play-in to being right in the thick of the playoff race, and it wouldn’t have happened without the Butler trade. One can only wonder what Miami was thinking when they traded him.
There is a solid rationale. In their defense, the writing had been on the wall with Butler for quite some time—even before he made his trade request. The Heat were hesitant to give him an extension and weren’t conforming to his demands as the season progressed, so it wasn’t too surprising when he demanded a trade.
However, their failure to transition as a team after the Butler trade casts a dark shadow over their future and whether they can return to what they once were. Golden State now reaps the benefits of the Butler trade, and there’s no telling how far they’ll go now that he’s on the team.
He is the best player Curry and Draymond Green have played next to since Durant, and everyone knows how that turned out. Butler might not be Durant, but he doesn’t have to be to get the Warriors back to where they were.