Stephen Curry needs a new ‘Splash Brother’. The Warriors kicked off the season strong, but the 5-game skid exposed glaring weaknesses. Watching Steph single-handedly try to salvage games night after night? It’s not sustainable. This team clearly needs some experienced backup. With the trade deadline creeping within sight, a handful of big-name players have popped up as potential solutions to turn things around. The Heat might be approaching the twilight of Jimmy Butler’s time in Miami, leaving the franchise with tough decisions to make.

After a tough stretch, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. is reportedly looking to shake things up. He’s exploring the market for a star who can make a big impact and boost the team’s championship hopes straightaway. Golden State set themselves up for flexibility over the past offseason, creating room to make moves. With tradable contracts, young talent, and future draft picks in their arsenal, they’re in a great spot to explore different options.

“I think the most likely big-name, trade candidate that the Warriors could realistically acquire is Jimmy Butler. I know that doesn’t move the needle for a lot of people but if you are going to try to go all-in, he’s the guy that makes the most sense,” Evan Giddings recently proposed on 95.7 The Game.

On a separate tangent, a trade package involving Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, De’Anthony Melton, and Gui Santos fits the salary of Jimmy Butler perfectly. But fans DON’T want this trade to happen. They don’t want the Heat veteran at the Chase Center!

“No thanks,” says the Warriors fans, Jimmy Butler rejected?

The fans did not seem happy with this trade. One said, “No thanks”. Honestly, trading for a 35-year-old Jimmy Butler, who struggles with injuries, seems like a massive overpay for the Warriors. They’d be parting with all their young players, plus a bunch of future first-round picks. For that kind of package, you’d expect the Warriors to land an All-NBA level player, not someone on the decline.

“Dubs might as well rock with what they got instead of trading for Jimmy,” wrote another fan. The Warriors’ path to adding another star player still runs into one major obstacle: Andrew Wiggins. Just 18 months ago, his inconsistent play was a real setback. But now, Wiggs is having a career year, averaging 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting a career-high 43% from deep. He continues to take on the tough task of being the team’s top perimeter defender. But it’s hard to ignore how important he’s become. Is it worth letting him go?

A netizen pointed out a major problem for the Warriors. “He also makes $48m and GS is capped at the first apron. It’s hard to trade for him and fill in the empty slots. Plus the team just gets even older,” they wrote. On June 30, the NBA set the 2024-25 salary cap at $140.588 million and the tax level at $170.814 million. The Warriors are hard-capped after participating in a sign-and-trade for Buddy Hield and using the non-tax mid-level exception for De’Anthony Melton. This leaves Golden State with just $533,659 in first-apron space. This means that the Warriors will have to give up a lot for an older player.

A cause of concern is his availability. “Always injured no thanks” rightly pointed out another user. Jimmy Buckets has struggled to stay fit in recent times. In his last 6 seasons, he hasn’t been able to cross the 60-game marker barring one season, and as popularly said, ‘Your availability is your best ability’. If he can’t stay fit to play games for the Warriors, then what is the point of getting him?

A fan then suggested a trade which does make better sense.

“Honestly, De’Aaron Fox would give us a helluva 2nd option that would take the offensive pressure off of Kuminga and Wiggs.” Sacramento couldn’t strike a deal with their star point guard, Fox, over the offseason. Though he’s under contract through next season, the Kings still have time to extend him. However, if talks stall, they might look to trade Fox to another team.

It’s a situation worth keeping an eye on. Bringing De’Aaron Fox to the ‘work-in-progress’ Bay Area side could completely shift their game, boosting their offense and playoff hopes. It’s the kind of move that could take them to the next level.