Just when you thought they were out, they pull you right back in.
The Warriors' reported pursuit of Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler this season has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride, and leading up to Thursday's NBA trade deadline, the saga took another turn. And another after that.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Sunday night, citing sources, that Butler has communicated to Golden State his unwillingness to sign a contract extension with the team should he be traded there, which halted talks between the Warriors and Heat.
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And while negotiations between the two teams indeed have stopped, for now, talks could resume at some point over the next three days, as Golden State believes it's in the mix for Butler's services, The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported Monday afternoon, citing team and league sources.
"Not long after, ESPN’s plugged-in Brian Windhorst reported that Butler has communicated to the Warriors that he’s unwilling to sign an extension there and therefore trade talks to send him to Golden State have ended for now," Slater wrote.
"The 'for now' aspect of that report was pinpointed by team and league sources. There are still three days until the trade deadline, an eternity in this transaction window. The Warriors believe they are still firmly in the mix for Butler or another of the league’s star dominos that could topple as part of the Butler transaction or once it is resolved, team sources said."
Slater also confirmed, citing league sources, that Butler's preferred destination is the Suns, but a deal with Phoenix has yet to materialize due to veteran guard Bradley Beal's large contract, which includes a no-trade clause.
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The Heat have suspended Butler on two separate occasions this season, most recently for an indefinite period, after the 35-year-old violated numerous team rules. In the 25 games Butler has played, he's averaged 17 points per game, his lowest total since the 2013-14 season, with 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 54 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from 3-point range.
It remains to be seen what the outcome of the Butler saga will be, but it appears the Warriors still have a chance to land the six-time NBA All-Star.