If Miami Heat President Pat Riley is to be taken on face value, Jimmy Butler won't be traded to the Golden State Warriors or anywhere else prior to the February 6 deadline.
If it's not Butler and with the idea of trading for LeBron James nothing but a pipe dream, it's becoming increasingly more unlikely that the Warriors will be able to pull off a blockbuster trade in the coming weeks.
The Warriors may have to turn their attention to De'Aaron Fox
If the Warriors still want to be active in pursuing a star player, then they may have to set their sights on Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox if recent speculation is to be believed. According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report on Monday, the 2023 All-Star could be available ahead of the deadline.
"Grumblings in NBA circles suggest Fox will push for a trade before the February 6 deadline and that the Kings will likely entertain all options," Pincus wrote.
Fox's future was already a source of speculation even prior to Mike Brown's controversial firing last week. The 26-year-old bypassed on a contract extension with the Kings, choosing to wait for a more lucrative deal that would also afford him more time to evaluate Sacramento's direction.
The uncertainty around the Kings is rife right now, with Brown having apparently asked 6x All-Star DeMar DeRozan to come off the bench prior to his axing, according to former 3x Sixth Man of the Year winner Lou Williams on Monday.
That uncertainty could lead Sacramento to exploring all their options prior to the deadline, including dealing Fox if the former fifth overall pick voices serious discontent over the coming weeks.
Pincus believes the Houston Rockets could be the perfect trade partner for the Kings, suggesting an eight-player trade that would see Fox join a conference rival for a package largely centered around Reed Shepherd, Cam Whitmore and draft capital.
Even if a Stephen Curry-Fox back court may not be the most seamless fit, the Warriors wouldn't be doing their due diligence if they didn't at least explore what it would take. It's also difficult to see Sacramento doing Golden State any favors by dealing their franchise star to another team in the division, with the two teams having developed quite the rivalry over recent years.
The Kings had lost six-straight games prior to Monday's win over a depleted Dallas Mavericks, with Fox currently averaging 26.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 33 games.