NBA Trade Grades: Heat trade Jimmy Butler, acquire Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell

Miami Heat NBA Trade — (Mandatory Credit: Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Miami Heat completed a five-team blockbuster this week, sending Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors while acquiring three players plus draft capital. Let’s grade the trade, shall we?

Heat Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick

It finally happened! After two months of non-stop drama, the Heat was able to move off Butler–who didn’t want to be there, which caused a constant distraction–in exchange or Wiggins, Anderson, Mitchell and a top-10 protected pick.

I wrote about Wiggins’ fit with the Heat last week, but I love this move. Is Butler the better player? Sure, you can argue that without question. But I would also take Wiggins (for $85 million) for the next three years over Butler ($161 million), who’s entering his late 30s with a steep injury history in his lower half. I know that sounds bananas, but Wiggins’ is the perfect ancillary role player to bridge this next build with Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware.

He’s a near-40-percent catch-and-shoot shooter, above-average offensive rebounder and shot blocker, excellent perimeter defender at 6-foot-7 (7-foot wingspan) and can cut and attack closeouts. He’s not a premier 20-plus point-per-game scorer, but he can fill his role and his contract is reasonable enough to move in a year or two.

He’s also younger than Jimmy Butler was when he arrived and is only two years older than Bam Adebayo. He’s in the middle of his physical prime and will now be playing under Erik Spoelstra, who’s a mastermind.

Mitchell, 26, is an exceptional point-of-attack defender–like Wiggins–which the Heat desperately needed. He’s grown as a ballhandler and shotmaker, but he adds a level of toughness to the backcourt that it didn’t previously have after Dru Smith’s season-ending achilles injury.

Anderson, 31, is a good vet to have in the locker room. He’s having a much better 3-point shooting and can do a little bit of everything offensively. The Heat now have a stacked wing room, which could complicate his playing time. Though I am sure Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will find playing time for him at some point.

And the Heat moved below the first apron while acquiring a 2025 draft pick. This is a draft where you want a first-round pick–it’s a stacked class. All in all, for a player who had little-to-no market, this was a good package for them.

Grade: A-

Golden State Warriors Receive: Jimmy Butler

I’ll be honest: I don’t love this for Golden State in the long-term, while I do like it for the short-term, to an extent.

On one hand, the Warriors will be getting a very motivated Butler, who received a two-year, $121 million extension as part of the trade. He got the money he was seeking and will not get to play alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, plus Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. That, on paper, is rock solid. He’s also not long removed from one of the best regular season games of his career against Detroit

The Warriors have been star-hunting since the summer, hoping to pair someone next to Curry for one last run. They struck out on Paul George in free agency and didn’t acquire Lauri Markkanen because Golden State wanted to hold onto Podziemski. They couldn’t land Kevin Durant ahead of the deadline so Butler, 35, was next in line.

I am mixed about Butler’s on-court fit. He’s a better shot-creator than Wiggins and will undoubtedly take some burden off Curry. But he’s not a floor spacer–which makes its frontcourt spacing a little clunky–nor does he play at a pace that fits with Golden State’s motion-laden offense. I am not sure how that will affect Butler’s legs in the short- or long-term, but that will be one to monitor. He’s also not the same defender he was, though he remains a very good off-ball defender when he’s engaged.

From a long-term angle, I also don’t love how he turns 36 in September while Green and Curry turn 35 and 37 in March, respectively. In a loaded, spry Western Conference, what’s their ceiling with at least two more years of Curry, Butler and Green together, who will account for 90 percent of the cap next year and 87.5 percent of the cap in 2026-27? They’re not getting younger. I think the Warriors were two years too late with getting a star–but something is better than nothing, I guess.

A motivated Jimmy Butler is the best Jimmy Butler, but Father Time is undefeated. That’s the swing factor.

Grade: C+

Utah Jazz Receive: KJ Martin, Josh Richardson, 2028 second-round pick, 2031 second-round pick swap (via Pacers; from Heat)

Ah, yes, that sly ol’ Danny Ainge. Always finding ways to stack draft capital. He did it again here, too!

Richardson–and second-year guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, acquired in the Lukda Doncic blockbuster–will be waived, according to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune. But Utah was able to stack five second-round picks this deadline while trading away only Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills (PJ Tucker didn’t log a single minute with them).

Ainge didn’t send out a single player in this move but got two seconds by trading Tucker to Miami (who was rerouted) and Schroder to Detroit. That’s good business for Utah, one of the worst teams in the West that will be in the thick of the #CaptureTheFlagg™ sweepstakes in June. I love the flier on Martin, too.

Grade: B

Detroit Pistons: Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters III

First-year Pistons general manager Trajan Langdon didn’t send out a single player … while acquiring Schroder–who helps a need behind Cade Cunningham–plus Lindy Waters and two second-round picks. Both Schroder and Waters are on expiring deals, which is good business while having nearly $30 million in cap space next season. The Pistons didn’t do much, but they did enough for a worthwhile.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors Receive: PJ Tucker, 2026 second-round pick (via Lakers; from Heat)

One could assume that Tucker, 39, who hasn’t played this season after playing just 31 games last season, is bought out. At least they acquired a second-round pick while opening up the runway for rookie guard Jamal Shead. This also marks the third time over the last two decades that Tucker landed with Toronto in some capacity. I don’t think he has much left in the tank, so this is pretty inconsequential outside of adding the pick.