Jimmy Butler has officially joined the Golden State Warriors, eyeing to make his debut before the end of the week.
The Golden State Warriors made a big swing for Jimmy Butler before the end of the trade deadline. They traded four players in a multi-team deal which ensured Butler joined their franchise as they hope to climb back up into a Playoff seed. They’re currently 25-26 after losing 120-112 to the Luka Doncic-less Los Angeles Lakers last night.
The pre-game hype around the franchise came due to Butler making his first appearance as a member of the Warriors. His new jersey number was revealed to be No. 10 in homage to Brazilian soccer sensation Neymar Jr.
It seems Butler is motivated to help the Warriors compete for championships immediately. Before anything progresses on that front, Butler needs to make his debut. The 35-year-old forward confirmed he’ll debut against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
He started his career with the Bulls, who drafted him at No. 30 in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Jimmy Butler made it abundantly clear in his first message to the Warriors faithful that he wants to bring more championships to the organization.
“Yo Dub Nation, Jimmy Butler here. Just touched down to do this physical. Super excited. Ready to win, ready to work, and ready to put on a show for y’all. Let’s get it. Championship coming soon.”
The Warriors have won four championships in the last 10 years. They were triumphant in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022, but have regressed aggressively in recent seasons. After a second-round exit in 2023, the Warriors missed the Playoffs last season. They’re currently the No. 11 seed and in danger of missing the postseason entirely.
You add a player like Jimmy Butler to compete for titles. While this season’s goal will be to make it to the Playoffs and potentially win a series or two, a championship might not be in their cards so quickly. The Warriors will be more competitive after a summer of adjusting the roster around the Butler and Stephen Curry duo.
Jimmy Butler knows that he can’t walk onto the Warriors and be the team’s No. 1 option. Butler was the No. 1 option in Miami, but everything in Golden State goes through Stephen Curry.
Butler knows that as well as anyone, making his intention to defer to Steph on the court clear.
“We good. Pass the ball to Steph and get out of the way. It’s easy.”
Butler hasn’t been scoring at a high rate this season, averaging 17.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists with the Heat, The tools the Warriors need from him is his overall impact on the game, whether it’s on passing, defense, or scoring. He needs to be a true co-star for Curry, who’s been the sole offensive option on the franchise for the last few seasons.
Curry is averaging 22.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, having more inconsistent nights than we’ve ever seen before. He needs Butler to keep him fresh and give him the support he needs. These two together could achieve great things, although we might have to wait till next season to see the potential come true.
