This trade deadline keeps getting better, and the Lakers are absolutely dominating.
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Good Morning to All—But Especially to…
JIMMY BUTLER AND THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Jimmy Butler got what he wanted—his way and his money—and the Warriors got their star. The Miami Heat sent their disgruntled forward to Golden State in a blockbuster four-team trade. Here’s how the deal breaks down:
- Warriors receive: Jimmy Butler
- Heat receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, P.J. Tucker, top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick
- Jazz receive: Dennis Schroder
- Pistons receive: Lindy Waters III, Josh Richardson
Shortly after the trade, Butler signed a two-year, $111 million extension with Golden State. Just days ago, reports suggested he wouldn’t agree to an extension with the Warriors, temporarily stalling trade talks. Clearly, something changed.
Now, it seems like all parties got what they wanted—given the circumstances.
The Heat had suspended Butler three times—most recently indefinitely—due to multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team, including trade demands, missing a flight, and walking out of a shootaround. Meanwhile, the Warriors had been in the mix for every big name on the market and pivoted to Butler after Kevin Durant shut down any possibility of returning to Golden State.
So, the Warriors take another shot—actually, three more shots. Butler, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green are all under contract through 2026-27. Golden State earned a “B+” in Sam Quinn’s trade grades, with Quinn noting that Butler "does things the Warriors badly need." Brad Botkin adds that this move gives Curry the fighting chance he deserves:
"Does Butler make the Warriors better? No question. Does he make them a threat to make playoff noise? Absolutely. Does he make them a title contender? Probably not. But 'probably' is the key word here. Before Butler, the answer was an emphatic no. ... Curry deserves a chance to compete. Beyond that, nothing is guaranteed. But he has earned the right to go out fighting. And if you’re picking players to go to battle with, Playoff Jimmy is high on the list."
Curry also wanted the Warriors to avoid making a "desperate" trade, and according to James Herbert, they succeeded.
👍 Honorable Mentions
🏈 NFL Honors are tonight! We made our picks, including a tight MVP race between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
🏆 The Chiefs are chasing history—a Super Bowl three-peat—but only one player has ever done it before.
🏈 Christian Gonzalez is excited for Mike Vrabel to turn the Patriots around. Could New England trade one of its quarterbacks?
🏀 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just dropped his third 50-point game in seven contests.
🚀 Darius Garland from the logo for the win!!!
🏀 The NCAA Player of the Year race between Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome is turning into an all-time battle.
🏆 Speaking of Flagg, the 2025 NCAA Tournament could feature the greatest one-and-done class ever.
🏈 Ohio State is promoting Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator.
🏈 Florida is hiring Robert Bala as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
🔄 Hypothetical trades? Brad Crawford imagines four deals that could shake up the College Football Playoff in 2025.
⚾️ The Astros will retire Billy Wagner’s number.
⚾️ The Twins signed Harrison Bader.
🏈 National Signing Day Tracker: Michigan landed four-star OT Ty Haywood, and Maryland picked up four-star EDGE Zahir Mathis.
🏈 10 late commitments to watch.
🏈 Ron Rivera is returning to Cal in a GM-like role.
So, the Jimmy Butler era in Miami is over.
For five seasons, it was spectacular—highlighted by legendary NBA Finals runs in 2020 and 2023.
But the sixth season? A disaster. Butler and the Heat fell out, leading to an inevitable split. Miami’s D+ trade grade reflects an underwhelming return, but at this point, the Heat had little leverage. Butler’s actions complicated the situation, and Pat Riley’s insistence on keeping him didn’t help.
The most disappointing part? The Heat, long known for their culture, were forced into a desperate seller position. Butler once embodied that culture—but in the end, he disrupted it. And Miami paid the price.
👎 Not So Honorable Mentions
🏈 This loss still haunts Patrick Mahomes.
🏈 Terrell Owens claims referees show "blatant" favoritism toward the Chiefs.
🏈 Micah Parsons doesn’t think Derrick Henry would have saved the Cowboys’ tough 2024 season.
🏈 Josh Jacobs had some blunt criticism of the Packers’ wide receivers.
🏈 Brian Kelly denies cutting off contact with former LSU player Greg Brooks Jr., but Brooks’ family says otherwise.
🏀 Ed Cooley confronted a fan who, according to him, threatened a Georgetown player.
🏈 National Signing Day was quiet—and Tom Fornelli says that’s bad for the future of college football.
⚽️ The NWSL will pay $5 million in a settlement over player mistreatment.
Your thoughts? Did the Warriors just make themselves contenders again, or is Butler not enough? ⬇️
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