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Heat, Warriors shuffle lineups with Jimmy Butler-Andrew Wiggins trade

The Miami Heat traded star forward Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA-EFE
The Miami Heat traded star forward Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA-EFE

Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors shuffled their rosters with a blockbuster trade, swapping forwards Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins, while additional pieces landed elsewhere.

Sources told ESPN, The Athletic and the Miami Herald about the swap Wednesday night. The Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz also were involved.

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The Heat landed forward Kyle Anderson and a Top-10 projected first-round pick, in addition to Wiggins, from the Warriors. They also received forward P.J. Tucker from the Utah Jazz. The Pistons received guard Lindy Waters from the Warriors and guard Josh Richardson from the Heat. The Warriors sent Dennis Schroder to the Jazz.

Butler, 35, averaged 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game over 25 appearances this season for the Heat. The six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, who requested a trade, was suspended multiple times for conduct detrimental to the team in 2024-25.

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Sources told ESPN that Butler declined his player option for 2025-26 and agreed to a two-year, $121 million contract with the Warriors.

Wiggins, 29, averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game over 43 starts this season for the Warriors. The 11-year veteran averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per appearance through the first 749 games of his NBA career.

He is set to make $28.2 million in 2025-26. Wiggins' pact includes a player option for $30.1 million in 2026-27.

Anderson, 31, averaged 5.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game through 36 games this season for the Warriors. The 11-year veteran is under contract through 2026-27.

Tucker, 39, averaged just 1.7 points over 31 appearances last season, when he split time with the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers. The 14-year veteran, who joined the Jazz in a recent trade from the Clippers, is set to hit free agency this off-season. Tucker has not yet played in 2024-25.

Watters, 27, averaged 5.5 points per game over 38 appearances this season for the Warriors. The four-year veteran also is set to hit free agency this off-season.

Richardson, 31, averaged 4.0 points per game through just eight appearances this season for the Heat. The 10-year veteran, who is out due to a heel injury, also isn't under contract past this season.

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Schroder, 31, averaged 14.4 points, 6.1 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game through 80 appearances, while splitting time this season with the Warriors and Brooklyn Nets. The 12-year veteran is also has an expiring contract.

With the trade, Wiggins will join a Heat team that includes guards Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Alec Burks, Josh Christopher and Pelle Larsson, forwards Haywood Highsmith, Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic and Tucker and centers Kevin Love and Kel'el Ware.

Butler will join star guard Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green to lead the new-look Warriors attack.

The Heat (25-24) will face the Nets (17-34) at 7:30 p.m. EST Friday in Brooklyn. They will take on the Warriors on March 25 in Miami.

The Warriors (25-25) will play the Los Angeles Lakers (29-19) at 10 p.m. Thursday in Los Angeles.

The Jazz (12-37) will face the Phoenix Suns (25-25) at 10 p.m. Friday in Phoenix.

The Raptors (16-35) will play the Oklahoma City Thunder (40-9) at 8 p.m. Friday in Oklahoma City.

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The Pistons (25-26) will host the Philadelphia 76ers (20-30) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Detroit.

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