The final straw in the coffin of Jimmy Butler’s stint with the Heat was hammered in when he announced that he didn’t feel any joy playing basketball in Miami anymore. That was part of the reason he demanded to be traded, and he even spoke about his waning joy in press conferences.
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Of course, it’s hard to feel joy when the team struggles to stay above .500 for the season. But, since arriving in Golden State, it’s clear Jimmy is hooping with a sense of unbridled happiness. Butler played a key role in the Warriors getting into the playoffs, and also in them taking a 3-1 lead in the first-round series against the Houston Rockets Monday night.
Scoring 27 points and grabbing the most important rebound of the game, Butler had his fingerprints all over the 109-106 win. And in a celebratory mood, the forward expressed what it has been like playing with Golden State. His words, however, made fans wonder whether it was a dig at Pat Riley.
After the game, Butler was interviewed by Allie LaForce. He spoke about how his new teammates heaped a ton of praise on him, even saying, “This is why we got you.”
“It means the world. I’d die for these guys, it’s so fun,” Butler added. “I got my joy back, as some would say.”
Butler was visibly ecstatic and even shared some playful banter with Buddy Hield during the interview. However, people couldn’t move past the “got my joy back” line. The timing of the comment, soon after the Heat’s series loss, going down to a brutal 55-point defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers, made many interpret it as a dig.
“I got my joy back, as some would say”
Jimmy had jokes as he caught up with @ALaForce after the @warriors win in Game 4 pic.twitter.com/PpCsJ7aE4L
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 29, 2025
Now, we have no way to know what the source of Butler’s joy stems from. Of course, it could be the performance. It could also be the pending second-round matchup — most likely against another former team of his, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Or last but not least, it could be the humiliating manner in which the Heat were defeated.
In the game on Monday, Playoff Jimmy was in full flow. He did a little bit of everything for the Dubs. A team-high 27 points aside, Jimmy played some great defense, rejecting one shot, and managed to dish out 6 assists with no turnovers.
Butler also scored the last 7 points for the Warriors, including 5 straight free throws to seal the game.
One thing is for sure from the performance: Butler is happy and playing above and beyond his best. And that’s a dangerous sign for the rest of the NBA.
