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SPORTS Friday 7 February 2025
Jimmy Butler is headed to the Golden State Warriors, Andrew

Wiggins to Miami Heat, AP source says

By TIM REYNOLDS of the trade was getting
AP Basketball Writer out; coach Steve Kerr met
Jimmy Butler got what he with the team during the
wanted. He’s being traded period that the room is typi-
out of Miami and got a new cally open to reporters be-
contract in the process. fore games. Golden State
The Heat and the Golden wound up falling to Utah
State Warriors have agreed 131-128.
on a deal that sends Butler “Our guys were in the locker
to the Bay Area, a person room getting ready to play
with knowledge of the talks and all of a sudden we’re
said Wednesday. Butler saying goodbye,” Kerr said.
helped carry the Heat to Butler’s breakup with the
the NBA Finals twice, long Heat brewed for months.
before a hostile breakup The primary issue was mon-
that saw him suspended ey; he was eligible for the
three times by the team in two-year, $113 million ex-
January. tension and the Heat never
Golden State is making it offered it, largely because
happen by moving An- he missed about 25% of the
drew Wiggins, Dennis Sch- team’s games in his Miami
roder, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler stands on the court during the second half of an NBA basketball tenure. The relationship was
Waters and first-round draft game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Miami. Associated Press broken beyond repair at
compensation out in the the end. When Butler said
deal, said the person, who traded to Utah and briefly Golden State; for now, that Butler’s fifth team, after he didn’t expect to find
spoke to The Associated was set to return to Miami, is a pick in this year’s draft stints in Chicago, Minneso- on-court joy with the Heat
Press on condition of ano- where he played in 2021- though that could change ta, Philadelphia and Miami. again in early January, he
nymity because the trade 22. As the trade continued based on final terms. And His arrivals were celebrated was suspended for seven
has not gotten league ap- evolving Thursday, Tucker ESPN reported that Butler in all four cities, and his de- games as the last straw
proval. was being moved to Toron- has already agreed on a partures weren’t exactly on a list of what the team
Wiggins and Anderson to and Davion Mitchell was two-year extension with the smooth in any of them. called detrimental con-
are headed to Miami; it’s headed to the Heat.It took Warriors, one that would be With the Warriors, he joins duct. It kept getting worse:
unclear if Anderson will a lot, but Butler got his wish. worth around $113 million. Stephen Curry and Dray- Butler was suspended three
be staying with the Heat. “My brother, man. I’m go- “I’m really happy that he mond Green two players times in January alone, the
Schroder is getting moved ing to miss him, for sure,” got what he wanted,” Jo- who were part of all four re- second a two-game ban
to Utah where the War- said Heat forward Nikola vic said. “That bag’s kinda cent Golden State cham- for missing a team flight, the
riors, coincidentally, were Jovic, who looked up to really big.” pionship teams and have last an indefinite one that
Wednesday night and Josh Butler. “I think a lot of guys Mark down March 25: hopes of getting back to followed him leaving shoot-
Richardson is heading from here will. He’s someone Golden State at Miami, the title contention again. around early after learning
Miami to Detroit along with who did a lot for this fran- first time Butler could play The Warriors had a closed- he wasn’t going to start a
Waters. Also on the move: chise.” The Heat will get a again in South Florida. door meeting in the locker Jan. 27 game against Or-
P.J. Tucker, who was just protected first-rounder from Golden State becomes room Wednesday as news lando. q

Former NFL coach Ron Rivera plans to head back to college to

work at alma mater Cal

By JOSH DUBOW of joining the Cal team to support and
AP Sports Writer advance our football program. We will
Former NFL head coach Ron Rivera is release more information as soon as pos-
looking to head back to college to work sible.”
at his alma mater. Cal’s rival, Stanford, recently hired former
Rivera said Wednesday on social me- star quarterback Andrew Luck to be the
dia that he was following the lead of Bill general manager of the program.
Belichick and will take a job in some ca- Rivera was an All-American linebacker at
pacity at California. Cal in 1983 before heading to the NFL as
“Coach Belichick has made going back a second-round draft pick of the Chica-
to school, cool,” he wrote. “Stay tuned I go Bears in 1984.
am coming home.” Rivera was on a Super Bowl-winning team
Rivera and the school revealed no details his second season and had a nine-year
about what role he would take at Cal. playing career.
Coach Justin Wilcox is entering his ninth Rivera began his coaching career in 1997
season in charge of the Golden Bears and was head coach for Carolina for nine
and has a 42-50 career record. seasons and Washington for four years.
“Our alum, Ron Rivera is an icon in foot- Rivera had a 102-103-2 record in the reg- Former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera
ball for good reason,” UC Berkeley Chan- ular season, winning AP NFL Coach of the looks on before an NCAA college football game between the
cellor Rich Lyons said. “I’m thrilled to be Year awards in 2013 and 2015 with the Army and Navy, in Landover, Md., Dec. 14, 2024.
in discussion with him about the details Panthers.q Associated Press