Golden State Warriors updated NBA championship odds after Jimmy Butler trade

The Golden State Warriors pulled off a blockbuster trade for Miami Heat superstar forward Jimmy Butler on Wednesday, pairing him with two-time MVP Steph Curry. Immediately following the news, the Warriors' NBA championship odds took a sizable leap.

Golden State entered Wednesday situated 10th in the Western Conference (25-24), clinging to a play-in spot. However, the franchise was reportedly determined to land Curry a bona fide co-star before Thursday's NBA trade deadline, "calling about every All-Star player."

The Warriors finally got their man in Butler, who was involved in trade rumors throughout the season after failing to secure an offseason contract extension.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, the Butler deal is a four-team mega-trade involving the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz. Golden State will ship forwards Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson, along with a top-10 protected 2025 first-round draft pick, to Miami. Meanwhile, veteran point guard Dennis Schroder will head to Utah.

Miami will also acquire veteran forward P.J. Tucker, with Detroit receiving guard Lindy Waters III and wing Josh Richardson from the Warriors and Heat.

In the deal's aftermath, Polymarket Sports reported that Golden State's title odds quintupled from 0.6% to 3.0%.

The Warriors lost some depth in the trade. However, their Curry and Butler offensive tandem, with defensive-minded veteran star forward Draymond Green still in the fold, could position them as West dark horses.

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Jimmy Butler signing extension with Golden State following blockbuster trade boosting Warriors' NBA championship odds

Another possible reason for Golden State's increased title odds is Jimmy Butler's apparent contentment in joining the organization.

Following the trade, Charania reported that Butler declined his $52.4 million player option for next season and signed a two-year, $121 million extension with the Warriors.

Meanwhile, the six-time All-Star expressed apparent excitement on X/Twitter about heading out West.

"Welcome to the wild, wild west," Butler wrote.

Through 25 outings, Butler is averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 54.0%. However, he could take his production to another level if he's rejuvenated with his new squad.

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