Heat projected lineup after finally sending Jimmy Butler away

Jimmy Butler did not want to join the Golden State Warriors, but we don't always get what we want.

The former Miami Heat All-Star and purveyor of fine coffee is on his way to San Francisco to join forces with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. So much for those well-documented concerns over how Butler might mesh with Golden State's locker room. The Dubs are taking the calculated risk to acquire the 34-year-old, with hopes that Butler can change their postseason fortunes.

Butler will ink a new two-year, $121 million extension upon his arrival, which ties him to the Warriors through the 2026-27 campaign. In what amounts to a five-team trade, Kyle Anderson will head to Toronto and Dennis Schroder will head to Utah. Josh Richardson and Lindy Waters III are en route to Detroit, while the Heat receive Andrew Wiggins and P.J. Tucker, along with Golden State's protected first-round pick in 2025.

For the Heat, this is the end of a long, national nightmare. Butler effectively transformed the locker room into a hellscape during his final weeks, somehow getting suspended on three separate occasions as his feud with Pat Riley boiled over.

Miami has done perfectly fine without Butler. Now the Heat get a couple rotation upgrades to strength the supporting cast around Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

Here is how the Heat's lineup shakes out post-trade.

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Projected Miami Heat lineup after trading Jimmy Butler for Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Tucker

This is an expectedly modest haul for the Heat. After rumors of Miami avoiding long-term salaries, the Heat do in fact absorb Andrew Wiggins and his remaining $84 million, which is spread across three seasons. Tucker arrives on a one-year, $11.6 million contract.

Miami not getting either Dennis Schroder or Kyle Anderson, the third and fourth-best players involved in this trade, is a bit shocking. The Heat would've benefitted from the added depth and production, but this was clearly a complicated trade financially. Miami gets to trim its payroll, while Toronto, Detroit, and Utah are taking fliers on bench cogs. The Dubs transform three solid rotation pieces in 2.5 seasons of Butler.

We can expect Wiggins to take over Butler's traditional starting spot on the wing for the Heat. Miami has leaned into two-big lineups with Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware of late, which has been a resounding success. Meanwhile, All-Star Tyler Herro will continue to set the table as the de facto point guard. Butler's playmaking chops will be gravely missed, but there isn't a better coach than Erik Spoelstra when it comes to maximizing flawed lineups.

It has been a tough couple years for Wiggins in Golden State, but he's still a solid 3-and-D wing. He's also a strong candidate for a rebirth of sorts in Miami, where good players go to become more than good. Miami would really benefit from whatever extra juice Wiggins can come up with as a shot-maker. We shouldn't expect much, but he's a former No. 1 pick for a reason, and he did put together an All-Star campaign in Golden State once upon a time.

Don't expect to see much of P.J. Tucker. He's somebody the Heat are intimately familiar with, but Tucker's game has been on a steep decline for years. He is a financial token and little else. The Heat will continue to roll with Nikola Jovic and Kevin Love as the primary reserves in the frontcourt. That said, it wouldn't be completely shocking if Miami tried to revive Tucker as an occasional small-ball five, depending on matchups.