As the Golden State Warriors head into the offseason with the obvious intention of optimizing their roster around superstar Stephen Curry, a shocking trade involving mid-season acquisition Jimmy Butler is not entirely off the table.
Although the Warriors acquired Butler at the trade deadline this past season for a relatively large package involving four players and a first-round pick, the team could decide to move on from him if the right deal for another scoring talent presents itself.
With only two years left on Curry's contract, Golden State must do everything in their power to attempt to win another title in that span, and, following their early exit from the playoffs, any move could be possible.
Jimmy Butler is not the problem, but he could be the solution to Warriors' woes
Apart from the results of the postseason, the Warriors got everything they hoped for and more from the Butler trade. Although it was reported that Golden State was not on Butler's initial list of desired destinations, he glued with the team immediately.
Through 30 regular season games with the Warriors, he averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists, transforming the team from a fringe play-in contender to a team that could have made a Conference Finals run. His offensive aggression and defensive intensity helped the team develop secondary scoring outside of Curry, and his poise on the court helped level out the team's erratic young core for most of the latter part of the season.
However, when the team needed him most, in Curry's four-game absence against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Butler averaged only 20.3 points, resulting directly in his team's elimination.
Moreover, the franchise has already shown a willingness to move on from Butler if the right circumstances present themselves. Immediately after acquiring Butler, the Warriors had a deal in place to flip Butler to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant before Durant shut down any potential move.
The team has also shown a willingness in the past season to move on from recently acquired players if their fit on the roster does not prove to be conducive to winning. Dennis Schroder, who was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in December, was later flipped in the Butler trade after he struggled heavily on Golden State's bench.
While Butler's two-year, $110 million contract extension could make a trade difficult, it is certain that the franchise's expectations are set on nothing short of winning a title, and, if a move for a player like Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Zion Williamson becomes a possibility, Butler could be on the move yet again.