Now that Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has demanded to be traded, it seems only a matter of time before he is moved ahead of the February 6th deadline. Several teams have been linked to Butler, including the Golden State Warriors, who have been in search of more star power to pair with superstar Steph Curry.

However, it appears that the Heat have a player in mind in a potential Butler trade with the Warriors. Fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga is playing some of the best basketball of his career. The timing of his strong play couldn’t be better for the Warriors, who could potentially include him in a deal for Butler.

That could also save on having to give up multiple first-round picks to try and acquire him from the Heat. He would no doubt be an interesting trade target for the Heat, given that he isn’t necessarily an unproven player, but he still has significant upside that has yet to be fully explored.

If they can trade Butler in a deal for him, then it would give them a potential building block. One that they can pair with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to try and take their roster in a different direction without having to completely tear it down and rebuild.

What a potential Jimmy Butler trade between the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors may look like.

As far as a potential Butler trade to the Warriors, the trade will likely have to include Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, and Kuminga, with Golden State possibly also sending back a first-round pick. Considering that the Butler situation is rapidly deteriorating in Miami, taking what they can get for him is their best possible outcome.

Getting three rotation players, including one who has flashed stardom, is certainly better than nothing. While Miami is still in the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, they can afford to take a step back this season. Especially if it means they can keep their protected first-round pick away from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Either way, after the Heat just suspended Butler for seven games, it seems clear that he won’t play for Miami again. With him an unrestricted free agent after this season, they could and should use this time to trade him. Whether it is to the Warriors is something that we will have to wait to find out, but it looks like we won’t have to wait long.