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Lakers, Nuggets, Bucks, Suns named top landing spots for $110 million Warriors star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Golden State Warriors’ reported intention to make a headline-worthy trade this offseason will require them to relinquish one of their prized assets.
Stephen Curry would have to demand a trade for the Warriors to end his stint with the franchise, and Golden State has already revealed they don’t plan on moving on from Draymond Green.
That leaves star forward Jimmy Butler as the franchise’s next best trade bait contributor. The six-time All-Star is still recovering from a major ACL injury. Still, assuming he’s the asset the Warriors are comfortable featuring in a blockbuster trade package, Heavy’s Evan Massey believes the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns could be ideal trade partners.
“The Milwaukee Bucks stand out as one potential destination for Butler,” Massey wrote last Tuesday. “If Golden State truly wants to pursue a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, he would be one of the most obvious contract-matching trade chips for the Warriors.”
“Another potential option would be the Phoenix Suns. They had interest in Butler before he was traded to Golden State by the Miami Heat. With the Suns desperately trying to get back into NBA Finals contention, Butler could be an intriguing target.”
“Could the Los Angeles Lakers get involved? That would be a bit of a long shot, but the Lakers want to build a championship roster around Luka Doncic. Butler could be a piece of that puzzle.”
“Finally, a team like the Denver Nuggets could be an interesting match. Nikola Jokic clearly needs more help. Butler would bring elite defense and the ability to score to the Nuggets, along with elite leadership.”
Of all the landing spots Massey floated in his captivating piece, the Bucks are the most realistic one. Why? Because it’s well-documented that Antetokounmpo is the Warriors' top trade target, and if the seven-time NBA champions want to keep Green in the Bay, they’ll have to send Butler to Milwaukee to make a deal work.
Of course, the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes won’t be a one-team race, as multiple other franchises are expected to get involved this summer. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that a Butler-Antetokounmpo swap is far easier to envision.
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