The Golden State Warriors had been one of the strongest reported suitors for Jimmy Butler over the past month, but the franchise is seemingly cool on the idea of trading for the 6x All-Star.
Amid the Miami Heat's decision to suspend their star forward and be willing to start listening to trade offers, The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported on Saturday that the Warriors are not currently seen as a viable option in the Butler sweepstakes.
The Warriors have turned their attention to another former All-Star
The age, injury history, contract situation and Butler's volatility has seemingly made him too risky for Golden State to pursue, but that doesn't mean they don't have their eye on another former All-Star who's very much gettable ahead of the February 6 deadline.
According to Slater, the Warriors actually have their sights set on Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic who would offer the franchise something completely different as an offensive-minded big man.
"Nikola Vucevic has actually emerged as the more discussed Warriors’ trade target, according to team and league sources. The front office and coaching staff have acknowledged back to training camp this team’s need for a true stretch center, something Curry has never really had," Slater wrote.
No one is arguing that Vucevic is a better player than Butler, but he's actually averaging more points this season and could be a better fit given his ability to space the floor. That aspect could revolutionize the Golden State offense, with the veteran big man having shot 44% from 3-point range on nearly five attempts per game.
Combine that with Vucevic's $20 million salary and you can see why he makes more sense from a trade standpoint than Butler. It would allow the Warriors to retain Andrew Wiggins, something that Slater reports is important alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Wiggins and Green would also be important in trying to limit Vucevic's defensive concerns, while the 34-year-old Montenegrin could open up things offensively in a manner Golden State have seldom had over the last decade.
Despite averaging over 20 points, 10 rebounds and three assists so far this season, the lack of interest in Vucevic could mean he's gettable without having to give up a first-round pick, allowing Golden State to retain flexibility heading into the offseason.
The Warriors have a number of mid-tier salaries that could be combined in a Vucevic trade, including championship veterans Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney, along with Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield.