Jimmy Butler makes major contract decision in wake of blockbuster trade

Jimmy Butler is quickly making a big commitment to his new team.

The news broke on Wednesday that the disgruntled Miami Heat star Butler has finally been traded. He is heading to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a package headlined by former All-Star forward Andrew Wiggins (full details here).

Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Butler is also agreeing to a sizable extension with the Warriors in conjunction with the trade. He is getting a new two-year, $121 million deal from Golden State and turning down his $52.4 million player option for next season to facilitate it. The extension now takes Butler through the 2026-27 season, which aligns him with the contract of his new Warriors co-star Steph Curry.

The six-time All-Star Butler, who will turn 36 later this year, didn’t do too badly for himself at the end of it all. Despite his extreme unprofessionalism throughout his saga with the Heat, he ends up on a new playoff team in the other conference and is getting a major new payday of over $60 million per year to do so. While some members of the Warriors, particularly Curry and head coach Steve Kerr, were said to have concerns about Butler’s addition, the team is apparently feeling comfortable enough to commit to him for the next two-and-a-half seasons as they try to chase another NBA title.