The Golden State Warriors made a splash before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 6 by acquiring small forward Jimmy Butler III from the Miami Heat.
The Warriors shipped small forwards Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson to Miami along with a top 10 projected 2025 first-round pick in the five-team trade, according to a Feb. 6 ESPN article.
Miami dealing their best player to San Francisco came as a surprise to me since reports came out that Butler had no interest in signing a contract with the Warriors, according to a Feb. 5 Yahoo Sports article.
As an avid NBA watcher, I would not think of nor imagine Butler being on the Warriors, but anything can happen when it comes to the trade deadline.
Overall, I feel unsure about his fit with the Warriors due to his different style of play from star point guard Stephen Curry and how it will translate to the Warriors offense.
Golden State is a heavy three-point shooting team while Bulter does not often attempt threes in games.
The Warriors are currently third in the NBA for three-point attempts with 2,339, according to a Statmuse stat page.
It was also reported that Butler signed a two-year contract worth $111 million on the day of the trade and the deal goes until the 2026-27 season, according to the same ESPN article.
Now with Butler heading to the Bay, he teams up with Curry and power forward Draymond Green to form a trio.
Curry has been the Warriors’ most productive player this season, averaging a team-high 23.4 points per game while averaging 4.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, according to an ESPN stats page.
The Warriors have needed to provide Curry a scoring partner and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. believed it was best to trade in for the 35-year-old forward.
With the acquisition of Butler, Golden State is in a “win-now” mode to take a championship with their old squad of stars.
Age is a concern for the team, with Curry nearly turning 37 while Green is 34 and now adding Butler.
The three do not have much time left in the league, but they still have gas in the tank to compete at a higher level.
Butler is a six-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive Second Team pick who still shows productivity with the ball on offense and defense with his age.
He drives well to the rim of the hoop and makes effective passes to his teammates by creating his own shots and having his teammates involved on offense.
Curry can benefit from Butler’s playmaking abilities once Butler starts to click with the Warriors offense.
The new Warriors forward is also an elite defender, showing that he can guard against any opponent trying to score on him as he has his eyes locked on the ball to make steals, evidenced by the NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors.
Besides his accolades and honors, Butler has been notably known for his explosive playoff runs, leading the Heat in two NBA Finals appearances in four years in 2020 and 2023.
Miami went on a miracle run as the eighth seed in the playoffs in 2023 where Butler averaged 26.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 22 games, according to his ESPN stats page.
During the 2023 playoffs, he shot 46.8% from field goal range and 35.9% from beyond the arc, according to the same ESPN stats page.
Butler’s explosive scoring makes him a threat to opposing teams facing him in the playoffs and the Warriors can benefit from using a player like him.
As a veteran with playoff and Finals experience like Curry and Green, he can be a factor for Golden State to help the team push a deep playoff run.
The forward played four games with the Warriors so far and since joining, the team has gone 3-1, according to a Wednesday The Athletic article.
He is also averaging 21.3 points per game and 1.3 steals while shooting 44.6% from the field since his arrival, according to the previous ESPN stats web page.
It is early to say, but Butler seems to be fitting in with the Warriors offense while being a complementary teammate to Curry.
After a 132-111 over the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 8, Curry said that he and Butler have the potential to form an exciting duo with their opposite playing styles, according to a Feb. 9 Sports Illustrated article.
The forward has been driving to the basket, making passes, getting to the free-throw line and making defense plays.
Time will tell how far the Warriors can go with the acquisition of Butler as they try to make a deep playoff run and ultimately win a championship, earning Butler his first ring.
