February 6th was the NBA trade deadline, so every team scrambled to improve their team as much as possible before 3 p.m.
Some of the biggest trades included 5x All-NBA guard Luka Doncic being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for 10-time all-star Anthony Davis and a host of players and picks.
The most anticipated trade was the Jimmy Buttler saga in Miami coming to an end. Butler’s trade destination was excitingly speculated among fans and analysts as the deadline drew closer. The six-time All-Star was sent to the Golden State Warriors to team up with Steph Curry for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a protected first-round pick.
The Heat promptly sent Dennis Schroder to the Utah Jazz for veteran forward P.J. Tucker, who was then sent to the Toronto Raptors for guard Davion Mitchell. Not long after the Butler trade was announced, he signed a two-year, $121M extension with the Warriors.
The Warriors are one of the few teams Butler would have agreed to an extension with, making it clear that he would not accept going to most teams.
The trade aimed to be the closest to a win-win for both franchises. The Heat got an athletic wing in Andrew Wiggins, that can function as a second or third scoring option and a good defender. Wiggins averages 17.6 points a game and can fill part of the scoring output missed when Butler was suspended.
The Warriors get a capable scorer in Jimmy Butler, who has a superstar upside. However, in the few games he has played this year, Butler is only averaging 17 points per game. This is his lowest scoring average since the 2013-14 NBA season. If Butler’s play does not elevate to the impactful level fans are used to seeing from him, his $60.5M extension may be met with heavy scrutiny.
