As much as they want to publicly declare the desire to keep Jimmy Butler until his return from injury next season, the Golden State Warriors aren't fooling anyone and are clearly willing to trade their six-time All-Star if the right deal comes along.
That much has been proven in the latest report on Anthony Davis, with the Warriors expressing interest in the All-Star big man according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on Wednesday.
Anthony Davis update proves Warriors are willing to trade Jimmy Butler
Golden State have been strongly linked to Davis in recent weeks amid their pursuit of his former Los Angeles Lakers championship teammate LeBron James, but the Washington Wizards haven't been willing to entertain talks according to Scotto.
"The Golden State Warriors have expressed trade interest in Davis. Yet, Washington has rebuffed such inquiries to this point, putting a major wrench in Golden State’s dream scenario of pairing Davis with free agent target LeBron James in the Bay Area," Scotto wrote.
Only time will tell if the Wizards' stance changes leading up to August 6 when Davis becomes extension-eligible, and whether the franchise truly sees the 33-year-old as a part of their long-term future. The delay on James' free agency decision could allow time to play out on the Davis front, and for things to potentially change when it comes to the possibility of the Warriors acquiring both veteran stars.
In the meantime, this Davis report is further proof that Golden State will trade Butler in the right circumstance. With Draymond Green not currently under contract and Kristaps Porzingis only making $20 million on his new extension, the Warriors can't possibly trade for Davis and his $58.5 million without including Butler.
Warriors have no choice but to consider trading Jimmy Butler
This is the sad reality of Butler's torn ACL and the fact he won't return until midway through next season, and even then you have to wonder how a 37-year-old is going to play after recovering from such a major injury.
Even with Davis' own injury concerns, the difference between having him and James, and having an injured Butler, is night and day and leaves Golden State with no other choice but to try and make a deal despite the obvious love they have for the 36-year-old who they acquired from the Miami Heat last year.
Perhaps the Wizards hold firm on their stance and no trade materializes, but this posturing that the Warriors are intent on keeping Butler is just that...posturing to try and retain the little leverage they have in negotiations.
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