Enough has been written about the stunning blockbuster trade involving the Mavericks and Lakers that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas.
But somehow one of the biggest deals of the trade deadline—and perhaps the most expected—has been quietly overlooked.
And for good reason.
The Heat dealt Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, marking the end of a drawn-out feud between the sides. Miami suspended Butler three times before sending him on his way, with the six-time All-Star playing only five games since the start of 2025.
Fans in the Bay Area were suddenly salivating over the thought of Butler joining forces with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Are we really supposed to consider this a “Big Three?”
Another aging star was the last thing that Golden State needed. Butler is 35, Curry is 36 and Green is 34, leaving the Warriors with a very small window to actually make some noise in a stacked Western Conference.
Golden State isn’t winning a ring with this group. It would have hurt to see the Warriors completely clean house and dismantle what was left of a once-great dynasty, but the club should have bitten the bullet now. A rebuild is coming for Golden State, and all Butler’s arrival is doing is delaying it.
Building around Jonathan Kuminga, 22, and 21-year-old Brandin Podziemski should have been the Warriors’ main focus at the deadline. That meant stockpiling draft picks and/or young talent that could have helped those two flourish while also bringing in respectable veterans to act as mentors.
Few teachers are better than Curry, but I’m not sure any franchise would benefit from its future leaders following in the footsteps of Butler, who has been notorious for forcing himself out of nearly every city he’s ever played in, and Green, one of the biggest hot heads the league has seen this century.
No one should be scared of Golden State this season, especially the Warriors’ competition in the West. The Lakers obviously got significantly better by bringing in Doncic and Mark Williams. The San Antonio Spurs have what could very well be the brightest future in the conference after adding De’Aaron Fox to complement a young core headlined by Victor Wembanyama. Dallas may even be able to turn some heads. After all, it does have Davis and Kyrie Irving. Not a bad duo by any means.
Future drafts aren’t going to be Golden State’s saving grace, either. When it comes to first-round picks, the Warriors have none this year and only one in 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. They are also without a first-rounder in 2030.
Golden State should have started to go all in on its future. Instead, the Warriors are hoping for one last hurrah with Butler, but it shouldn’t take long for them to realize that there’s no such thing.