Jimmy Butler didn’t exactly end his Miami Heat career on a high note. The 14-year vet tantrum-ed his way right out of South Beach, but in the end, he pretty much got what he wanted—a fresh start with a contender out West. Now that he’s with the Warriors, some people around the league think Golden State could be a dark horse.
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Don’t count Heat legend Udonis Haslem among them. The living embodiment of Heat culture and the cohost of The OGs podcast made an appearance on Get Up today, and he said that, although he likes what the trade has done for the Warriors—and Steph Curry specifically—Golden State will definitely not win the 2024-2025 NBA championship. He said, “Yes, [Butler] raises the level of Steph Curry, unlocks him, but this is not the year for them.”
The Warriors are 3-1 since acquiring Butler, with every win coming on the road. As Haslem pointed out, Curry is leading the league in points since Butler came aboard, but he doesn’t read too much into what that means for Golden State, who still is only 28-27 and facing an uphill climb as they cling to 10th place in the West.
As for Haslem’s comments about Butler raising Steph Curry’s level, well those are true. The Warriors guard is still having a career-low year, but his numbers have seen a noticeable jump since Jimmy came to town.
He’s averaging 31 points in the 4 games he’s played alongside Butler, at a 40% clip from three. It’s a marked difference from his season average of 23.4 points on 39% from deep.
.@ThisIsUD says there is "no way" the Warriors win a championship this year 👀 pic.twitter.com/irIPJo8icV
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 18, 2025
Steph certainly seems to be in a good place, as he’s now fresh off winning the second All-Star Game MVP of his career. It should be noted that the other time he won it, in 2022, he and the Warriors ended up winning their fourth and most unlikely championship. Can they pull it off again?
Are the Warriors legitimate title threats with Jimmy Butler?
Butler didn’t cover himself in glory with the way he left Miami, but he’s not a guy you want to face when he has a chip on his shoulder. He’s looked like his old self with the Warriors, and any team with Steph Curry is always dangerous. Add in the imminent return of Jonathan Kuminga, who was playing extremely well before spraining his ankle last month, and the ingredients are there for a potential run.
The West is truly a nightmare. It would take two hands to count all of the teams with the potential to reach the Finals, but there are also good reasons why each one won’t make it. The Thunder are the favorites but are still so young. The Grizzlies and Rockets haven’t been there before, and the Lakers will need to overcome their lack of a center.
The Wolves are 9-4 in the last month but are still trying to find their identity with Julius Randle. The Mavs could be dangerous, but Anthony Davis is expected to be out for a month. Who knows if the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy. The Nuggets might be the most dangerous team because of Nikola Jokic, but is Jamal Murray’s recent resurgence sustainable?
If the Warriors’ recent play with Butler is more than just a honeymoon period, they have to be considered as well. Is it likely that they can emerge from such a crowded field? No, but that’s also what people thought in 2022, and we know how that turned out. Haslem might end up feeling nervous about this take before it’s all said and done.
