Jimmy Butler has fit like a glove with the Warriors since the team acquired him ahead of the trade deadline. The six-time All-Star’s falling out with the Heat raised questions about his impact on future teams. However, he has had an immediate impact on Golden State’s success. Although he remains focused on his current situation, he subtly threw shade at his past homes.
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The Warriors look like a completely different team with Butler at the helm. They were down and out en route to yet another disappointing season. But in their first 20 games together, the Warriors with Butler hold a 16-4 record. They went from a play-in team to now sitting at the sixth seed in the West. He has been the breath of fresh air the team needed.
Butler sat down with The Athletic‘s Anthony Slater to discuss his experience in Golden State thus far. The five-time All-NBA member is loving the atmosphere with the Warriors and believes it’s incomparable to his past situations. He pointed out flaws within his former teams, which led to premature splits.
“You got to be able to talk to everybody,” Butler said. “You had some differences between players and coaches. Some differences between players and players. And it was just, I mean, you kind of couldn’t talk to nobody.”
Butler has heard the outside noise regarding his past stints in the NBA. However, he’s already noticed that Golden State is a completely different situation. The team isn’t scared to step on each other’s toes or hold one another accountable. That wasn’t the case during his time with the Sixers and Timberwolves.
There’s no shying away from confrontation on the Warriors. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have led this team to four NBA championships, which means they’ve experienced their fair share of altercations. However, there are no hard feelings, which Butler believes is the key difference between GS and other teams.
Butler is excited to learn from Green and Curry
Butler has played with some amazing players but none more decorated than Curry and Green. Ahead of joining the team, aside from the happiness of getting out of the Heat’s toxic environment, Butler expressed his excitement to learn from the Warriors duo.
“They’ll do whatever it takes to win… I think they can teach me a whole lot,” Butler said.
The star small forward’s stats may not shine on the score sheet, but his impact is undeniable. His presence has been instrumental to Golden State’s success, but it didn’t come as a surprise.
“No. I know the caliber of player I am,” Butler emphasized. “It’s never about anything but winning with me, and it’s never about anything but winning with the guys around this locker room.”
Golden State isn’t content with the success they have accumulated up to this point. Butler, along with the rest of the Warriors, intends GS to be one of the final teams competing for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Their level of play since he has joined the team suggests they have the potential to do so.
