**New York (AFP)** – The saga of star forward Jimmy Butler’s falling out with the Miami Heat has reportedly ended with his trade to the Golden State Warriors ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. ESPN and The Athletic — citing unnamed team sources — reported Wednesday that the Heat were finalizing a deal to send Butler to the Warriors in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, and a first-round draft pick.
Butler and the Heat had been at odds for months. As of Wednesday, Butler was still serving his third suspension by the team “due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team, and intentionally withholding services.” Butler, whose 17 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 25 games this season is his lowest scoring average since the 2013-14 season, had indicated in early January that he wanted to be traded, with the Heat apparently unwilling to provide the lucrative contract extension he sought.
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The 35-year-old, who arrived in Miami from Philadelphia in 2019, led them to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. At Golden State, he will bolster the aging star duo of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Warriors are currently battling for a play-in berth in the Western Conference.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the deal came together about an hour before the Warriors took on the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City, where coach Steve Kerr suddenly closed the locker room to address his players. After the Warriors’ loss to the Jazz, Kerr said he couldn’t discuss any details of a trade that had yet to be finalized. But he acknowledged the difficulty of preparing to play amid swirling trade reports and with players involved unavailable. “I think the league should consider making the trade deadline at the All-Star break,” Kerr said. “Just so you don’t have to face these games where guys are getting traded half an hour before the game and you’re trying to process the emotions and trying to win a game.”
**- Lakers land Williams -** The Los Angeles Lakers, who acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday in exchange for Anthony Davis in a deal that stunned the NBA, reportedly had a new move in the works on Wednesday night. ESPN and The Athletic reported the Lakers had agreed to acquire Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams in exchange for rookie sharp-shooter Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and future draft picks.
Williams, who is averaging 16.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in his third NBA season, is a versatile center who should complement Doncic. Earlier Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks traded All-Star forward Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, according to multiple reports. The Bucks, 26-22, made the swap with the NBA-worst Wizards (8-41) to land 29-year-old forward Kuzma, who has averaged 15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists this season.
Middleton, 33, helped the Bucks win the NBA crown in 2021 and had been a mainstay of the team since coming over in a 2013 trade after spending his rookie campaign in Detroit. He underwent off-season surgeries on both ankles and did not make his debut this season until December 6. The Wizards also sent Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings for two second-round draft picks and 20-year-old French guard Sidy Cissoko, ESPN reported.
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