The odds of Jimmy Butler ending up with the Golden State Warriors seem to be fading by the day.
The Warriors have been linked to Butler since the Miami Heat star was placed on the trade block in December. The rift between Butler and the Heat has only widened since then.
Despite Miami being extra motivated to ship Butler out, the man himself may not be enthusiastic about ending up in the Bay Area. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Butler has informed the Warriors that he would not sign an extension with the team if they were to trade for him. The result has reportedly ended trade talks between the Heat and Warriors “for now.”
Butler is being particularly choosy for a guy whose trade value has cratered in recent weeks. A report from earlier this week revealed that Butler had two teams on his no-trade list, which did not even include the Warriors.
Golden State may not be all that eager to acquire Butler either.
Butler has a $52.4 million player option for next season, which could be seen as a double-edged sword for anyone potential trade suitor without an extension in hand.
If Butler performs well post-trade, nothing would bar him from bolting for another team in free agency. If he acts out or does poorly, Butler could handcuff his new team to his $52.4 million salary by opting in next season.
Given the Marquette alum’s erratic behavior throughout his career, it’s hard for a team to get into the Jimmy Butler business without some semblance of control.
