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Warriors Pivot Back to Jimmy Butler Trade Talks As Kevin Durant Reunion Falls Apart
The Golden State Warriors are reportedly once again interested in acquiring Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Thursday.
The Warriors have long been rumored as a potential landing spot for Butler, who has been suspended three times by Miami over the last month as he searches for a new basketball home. But Golden State put that on pause over the last few days as rumors heated up about potentially luring Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant back to the Bay Area for his second stint with the franchise.
However, The Athletic reported Wednesday that the Warriors are officially out of the Durant sweepstakes.
"The Warriors were willing to part with a substantial package to chase down Durant and, if the Suns agreed, could’ve done so without his consent," The Athletic wrote. "It might’ve happened if Durant was semi-open or neutral to another partnership with the franchise he once helped win two titles. But Durant was cold to the idea of rejoining the Warriors and, having dealt with an unhappy Durant before, the Warriors are opting against a repeat."
Shortly after the Durant-to-Warriors noise quieted, NBA insider Marc Stein then reported Golden State is circling back to adding Butler in its never-ending search to pair Steph Curry with another star.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Monday that Butler has told the Warriors he won't sign a contract extension if the Heat work out a trade with Golden State. Butler, 35, has a $52.4 million player option on his contract for the 2025-26 season. If he declines that option, Butler will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The NBA trade deadline, set for Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, is quickly approaching. Will the Warriors find Curry a new star teammate by then?
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Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.