The Golden State Warriors didn't make flashy moves this summer to tweak their roster around Steph Curry. However, they didn't hold back from enquiring about multiple stars around the league. After reportedly emerging among the prominent teams in the Lauri Markannen sweepstakes, the Warriors have now been linked to Jimmy Butler.
The Heat star, who is owed $48.7 million this season (per Spotrac), is a potential free agent next year. According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Warriors have shown interest in the two-time NBA Finalist. Golden State also engaged in talks with the Heat this past summer.
“Jimmy Butler's going to be a free agent next summer," Amick said on The TK show on Thursday.
"Didn't get an extension done. The Warriors have interest there and probably made a couple calls [to Miami] this summer.”
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The Warriors have extended Steph Curry for another year after he signed a one-year $62.5 million contract, keeping him in the Bay Area through the 2026-27 season. That's potentially the Warriors' window to make the necessary moves to lock up another championship under the four-time champion's leadership.
With not many stars expected to be available soon, Jimmy Butler seems like a decent option. However, the two-time finalist's injury history makes him a risky candidate to gamble on, especially if he demands a lucrative deal in free agency.
If Butler becomes available via trade, the Heat are unlikely to ship him off for cheap, making him a high-risk, high-reward asset in either scenario.
Assessing Steph Curry and the Warriors' ceiling this season
The Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry are coming off a disappointing season after failing to make the playoffs. The Warriors got blown out in their do-or-die play-in tournament game against the shorthanded Sacramento Kings.
That loss indicated the Warriors needed to shake things up. That came in the form of Klay Thompson's departure, ending the reign of their highly successful big three, including Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
The Warriors made some nice tweaks this season by adding depth in various areas - they signed DeAnthony Melton and Buddy Hield as Chris Paul and Klay Thompson's replacements while bolstering the frontcourt depth with veteran Kyle Anderson.
However, these moves don't seem enough to get the Dubs out of the play-in tournament bracket for a second consecutive season. Their offensive load likely will rely on Steph Curry's shoulders, while the lack of size remains a concern.
Golden State needed a splashy addition this offseason to match up with its conference rivals, and the inability to get that done might hold the six-time NBA champions back.
