The Golden State Warriors have made a significant shake up in the final 24 hours before the trade deadline, moving for Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler in a blockbuster multi-team trade on Wednesday.
The 6x All-Star arrives in the Bay in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters III and a top 10 protected 2025 first-round pick, with Butler also getting a new two-year, $112 million extension in the process.
The Warriors have obvious moves to make after their Jimmy Butler trade
Giving up four players for Butler is arguably the right move given it will force Steve Kerr to shorten a rotation that had become unsustainable after early success. However, it does mean the Warriors will have to fill out the remainder of their roster, with three spots now to be filled in additional moves either before or after the deadline.
One of those has already reportedly been made, with rookie center Quinten Post set to have his two-way contract converted to a standard deal according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
But while simply filling out the roster is one thing, the Warriors do have obvious moves they need to make in order to address issues that are still glaring after the Butler trade. That starts with the center position, having started Post at the five over the last four games.
The 52nd overall pick may have been incredibly impressive since entering Golden State's rotation, but starting a rookie big still doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you're prioritizing the present with Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green all in their mid 30's.
If anything the Butler trade should enhance the need for a veteran stretch big, with Nikola Vucevic clearly the number one option who's available and been linked to the Warriors over recent months. Golden State still have the salary to acquire Vucevic or another $20 million player -- they have the expiring contracts of Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, while Buddy Hield is also on $8.8 million this season.
While Schroder was never able to find his rhythm during a brief stint with Golden State, the 31-year-old's departure does leave a big hole at the backup point guard position. That's another area the Warriors clearly need to address, whether via trade in the next few hours or possibly in the buyout market in the coming days.
Butler's arrival will alleviate some issues for the Warriors, most notably having another go-to scorer/creator next to Curry, but there remains obvious moves the franchise needs to make in relation to the center spot and backup point guard role.