The Golden State Warriors are interested in Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler as Stephen Curry’s new running mate, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported on September 13. “
“Jimmy Butler’s going to be a free agent next summer,” Amick said on “The TK Show” podcast, “didn’t get an extension done. The Warriors, as you know, have interest there and I think probably [they] made a couple of calls during the summer.”
Curry’s performance in Team USA’s gold medal run in the 2024 Paris Olympics has put more pressure on the Warriors front office to maximize his remaining championship window.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) sits on the bench.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Butler, a six-time NBA All-Star, has gone to the NBA Finals twice but lost in both times. A tough player who always plays his best in the playoffs, thus his monicker “Playoff Jimmy,” he’s the perfect complement for Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history.
If there is a knock on Butler, it is his durability as he has not played more than 64 games in each of the past three seasons.
But he always comes up big in big games. In 11 games in the NBA Finals, Butler has averages of 24.1 points, 8.3 assists and 6.6 rebounds.
Last season, no other Warrior player other than Curry averaged more than 18 points per game.
Butler’s future in Miami was clouded with uncertainty after Heat president Pat Riley said after last season ended that extension talks are not on their agenda this offseason.
“We don’t have to do that for a year,” Riley told reporters during his exit interview on May 6. “And so, we have not discussed that internally right now, but we have to look at that, making that kind of commitment.”
Butler who turns 35 on September 14 has a $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Butler can sign a one-year, $58.6 million extension tucked into the final year of his current deal or a two-year, $112.9 million extension that would void the player option.
If the Heat are not willing to commit to Butler until he’s 38, the Warriors could pounce on the opportunity