The Golden State Warriors have looked significantly improved since adding Jimmy Butler to their rotation. The veteran forward joined the franchise at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. He had previously handed in a trade request to the Miami Heat.
Butler provides a new dimension for Golden State’s roster. His wing defense, rim pressure and indomitable will to win are all legitimate factors that will improve Steve Kerr’s team.
During an All-Star game news conference, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was asked to share his thoughts on Butler’s addition to the Warriors.
“If they need my opinion on Jimmy Butler and how he’s going to fit, then they’re in trouble,” Jokic joked. “Winner. He’s been to the finals a couple of times. Still has the hunger in him to win it. Especially to give them a different version of the Warriors. Definitely a great player who can help them.”
Golden State will undoubtedly be hoping the addition of Butler can help lead the franchise to another championship. Butler now has arguably the strongest supporting cast of his career. Stephen Curry‘s floor spacing should help unlock additional driving lanes and shooting opportunities for Butler, too. On paper, the fit makes total sense.
Warriors’ Draymond Green Makes Title Promise
During a live telecast at the 2025 All-Star game, Draymond Green boldly claimed the Warriors were going to win the 2025 NBA championship.
“I think we were kinda heading in the wrong direction,” Green said. “Thinking we would figure it out, and never figuring it out throughout the course of this year. And since he’s been here, we’ve walked into every game thinking and believing that we’re going to win that game…He’s brought back that belief. And I think we’re going to win the championship…I lied. We are going to win the championship.”
Golden State currently sits 10th in the Western Conference. They’re 3.5 games behind the LA Clippers, who hold the sixth seed, which provides direct access into the playoffs. As such, the Warriors will likely be looking to make up lost ground once the season gets back underway.
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Wants to Win
During a recent interview with Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Curry admitted that he wants to remain competitive during the final years of his career. The veteran sharpshooter pointed toward Kobe Bryant and his struggles with the Los Angeles Lakers in his final years, as an example of how he doesn’t want things to be.
“I’ve seen different scenarios,” Curry told Kawakami. “Like everybody talks about Kobe [Bryant] and his last years. From my vantage point, I’m comparing it to guys that only played for one franchise. Dirk [Nowitzki], Tim [Duncan], Kobe, from our era. … You don’t want to be in a situation the Lakers were in those last three years [with Bryant]. I know he came off the Achilles injury, but it was, like, they were a lottery team, and it was more just how many points can Kobe score down the stretch of his career. I don’t want to be in that scenario.”
By adding Butler to the roster, Golden State has committed itself to being a contending roster. Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski will ensure there’s enough young talent to keep a developmental timeline open. However, it’s clear now that the Warriors want to win another championship. The fanbase will now be hoping Butler’s addition was the missing piece and a deep postseason run isn’t too far away.
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