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The Golden State Warriors‘ odds of landing Miami Heat‘s Jimmy Butler increased after one of six-time NBA All-Star’s preferred teams backed out of the race.
Following an ESPN report of Butler preferring to be traded to either of the Warriors and the two Texas teams, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone went on record that they do not plan to make a big trade.
“Of course, my job is to be open to everything, so I’m not going to not do my job,” Stone said on SiriusXM’s NBA Radio on December 10. “We like this team. We definitely do not intend to change anything, and I would be shocked if something changes this season.”
The Rockets are on the rise in the second year of Ime Udoka at the helm. They currently occupy the third seed in the strong Western Conference with a 16-8 record, 1.5 games ahead of the 14-9 Warriors.
“We like where we’re at,” Stone continued. “We want to continue to develop our guys, full stop. Will I listen to other teams? Of course I will, that’s my job. But again, there’s no part of me, there’s no part of our decision-making process that suggests that we’re looking to do anything big now or in the near term.”
The Rockets have a young nucleus led by former No. 2 pick Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, yet that did not stop them from having the second-best defense in the league.
“We definitely want this group to be as good as it can be this year and then we’ll evaluate things at the end of the year,” Stone added. “But the hope is very much that this core group can lead us to where we want to go and that – from a transactional perspective – we’re largely done.”
Jimmy Butler’s Next Team Odds Tracker
Before Stone pulled the Rockets out of the Butler sweepstakes, Bovada installed them as a +250 favorites. The Warriors were second at +300.
Bovada has yet to update their betting odds for Butler’s next team. But Butler’s next team odds tracker should move anytime soon.
The Dallas Mavericks, one of Butler’s preferred destinations, are also among the favorites at +500 behind the Brooklyn Nets (+400).
New York Post’s Brian Lewis previously linked Butler to the Nets as his potential landing spot if he becomes a free agent after the season.
The Nets will be a major player in the free agent market with $60-plus million in projected cap room.
Warriors Looking to Add Star Scorer and Playmaker
The Warriors have been aggressive in their pursuit of major upgrades on their roster since the last trade deadline.
Golden State inquired about LeBron James, but their advances were quickly rebuffed. They tried to kick the tires on Paul George, but the Los Angeles Clippers decided to let him walk as a free agent instead of helping their Western Conference rival improve. They also made a run at Lauri Markkanen, but the Utah Jazz have a high asking price.
So, the Warriors pivoted and added veteran role players in the offseason in the absence of a star trade. But their interest in making such a blockbuster move is still on the table, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“Sources said the Warriors are looking to add a star player — a playmaker, scorer — alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green,” Charania wrote in the ESPN report.
Butler fits the bill.
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Warriors’ Odds to Land Jimmy Butler Skyrocket After Top Suitor Drops Out