At long last, the Jimmy Butler saga ended Wednesday night. The six-time All-Star was traded to the Warriors and agreed to a two-year, $121 million extension, receiving the payday he could not secure in Miami. The trade ultimately included four teams, with Detroit and Utah joining the fold to acquire players unlikely to impact fantasy basketball.
Golden State sent Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins, and a protected 2025 first-round pick to Miami, Lindy Waters III to Detroit, and Dennis Schroder to Utah. The Heat traded Josh Richardson to the Pistons, while the Jazz sent P.J. Tucker to Miami. Golden State is taking a big swing by adding Butler to the mix, hoping he can combine with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to push the team not just into the playoffs but into contention. Let’s look at how this trade will impact fantasy basketball.
Golden State receives: Jimmy Butler
For all the issues that hastened Butler’s exit from Miami, he is the crown jewel of this deal. He can be an excellent fantasy asset when healthy and motivated, even with the lack of 3-point shooting. And with the sharpshooters currently on the Warriors roster, led by Stephen Curry, there will be cover for Butler’s lack of production in that category. In 25 games this season, he’s averaged 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 0.5 3-pointers in 30.6 minutes, shooting 54.0% from the field and 80.1% from the foul line. That production was good for 5th-round value in 9-cat formats and 7th-round value in 8-cat (Butler averages 1.2 turnovers per game).
When games bog down and become half-court affairs, especially in the postseason, Butler can get his team quality scoring opportunities, whether working out of the mid-range for his shot or creating a look for someone else. Having received the payday he was looking for, Butler should be far more productive than he was with the Heat this season. When on his game, he has top-25 fantasy potential.
As for the roster he joins, Curry’s value should hold, if not increase slightly, due to Butler’s playmaking ability. Finding shots on this roster has been a little more complicated than some anticipated, with Curry’s percentages from the field (43.4%) and three (39.3%) decreasing compared to his 2023-24 numbers. As a result, he’s averaging four points per game less than last season (22.4, down from 26.4). Sharing the court with a creator (Butler) that defenses must respect due to his ability to score may help open some things up for Curry.
The Warriors player likely to take the most significant hit in the short term is Brandin Podziemski, who started Wednesday’s loss to Utah and recorded a line of 29 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and three 3-pointers in 40 minutes. The second-year guard put up 18 shots from the field and was 10-of-13 from the foul line. Even if he were to remain a starter over Buddy Hield, that usage would take a significant hit. And with Hield being the superior catch-and-shoot option, he may be a better fit as a starter next to Butler than Podziemski. Neither wing has offered reliable fantasy value, but Podziemski is rostered in 53% of Yahoo leagues and Hield 29%.
Once healthy, Jonathan Kuminga (ankle) should be a factor as part of the Warriors’ bench unit. He’s averaged 26.0 minutes per game, and that number should not be too difficult for him to hit, even with Butler in the fold. They offer different skill sets, and Kuminga’s ability as a finisher may allow him to benefit from sharing the court with the newest Warrior. However, he’s ranked outside the top 200 in 8-cat formats, and that value is unlikely to change much coming off the bench. Based on what he brings to the table, Kuminga has been more valuable to the Warriors than to fantasy managers, yet he’s rostered in 77% of Yahoo leagues.
Miami receives: Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Tucker, and a protected 2025 first-round pick
As far as fantasy basketball is concerned, Wiggins is the player who will have the most significant impact on the Heat. After struggling most of last season, he’s offered top 100 value in 9-cat formats while sitting just outside that threshold in 8-cat. In 43 games, Wiggins has averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.2 3-pointers in 30.1 minutes, shooting 44.4% from the field and 77.7% from the foul line. Miami wanted to add a two-way player who can contribute now, and Wiggins fits the mold. But who does he bump out of the starting lineup? Haywood Highsmith or Duncan Robinson should be the answer, and given Wiggins’ defensive ability, the former may be the more likely choice to move to the bench.
Both players offer limited fantasy value as starters, with Robinson being the more productive offensive option. He’s rostered in 13% of Yahoo leagues, and that percentage shouldn’t change much in the aftermath of this trade. As for Highsmith, he’s the superior defender, but his defensive stats haven’t been good enough to make him a player worth rostering. He’s available in 98% of Yahoo leagues, and that’s with him starting Miami’s last six games. Fantasy managers concerned about the potential impact on Ware or Nikola Jovic should remain calm; they’ve both played well enough to remain key members of the Heat rotation, with the former firmly entrenched as a starter. Jaime Jaquez Jr. hasn’t been as valuable as either recently, but he’ll continue to provide depth off the bench.
The additions of Anderson and Tucker are unlikely to impact fantasy basketball. A fringe rotation piece with the Warriors, Anderson was reportedly headed to Toronto in this deal before that part of the trade fell through. The Heat will retain him for now, but much can change before the 3 PM deadline. As for Tucker, there’s familiarity there, as he spent the 2021-22 season in Miami on a team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals. However, he has not played a game this season, with the Clippers sending him to Utah over the weekend. And he’s reportedly on the move again, with the Heat sending Tucker, a second-round pick, and cash to Toronto for Davion Mitchell.
Detroit receives: Lindy Waters III, Josh Richardson
Waters offered minimal fantasy value with the Warriors, and Richardson has not appeared in a game since November 18 due to a recurring heel issue. Given where the Pistons stand with their current lineup, it will be difficult for either player to do enough to merit being rostered in fantasy leagues. In addition to current starters Tim Hardaway Jr., Tobias Harris, and Ausar Thompson, Malik Beasley, Ronald Holland II, and Simone Fontecchio are playing rotation minutes off the bench. The rotation is already crowded, so adding Waters or Richardson to the mix appears unlikely. Both players are rostered in less than 1% of Yahoo leagues, and this trade isn’t going to change that.
Utah receives: Dennis Schroder
Schroder has been traded for a second time this season, as his move from Brooklyn to Golden State did not have the desired effect. And, unsurprisingly, it was reported early Thursday morning by ESPN’s Marc J. Spears that the Jazz do not intend on keeping the veteran point guard. With the Jazz focused on developing/evaluating Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George, there isn’t a reason to add a veteran who would siphon minutes away from those two young guards. The question for Schroder is where he will end up, and will it be with a team where he’ll play credible rotation minutes? If so, he may be able to provide late-round value, but that’s not certain. Schroder was headed toward being a player who can’t be rostered in most leagues while with the Warriors; Wednesday’s trade means there’s even less reason to hold onto him.
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