The Golden State Warriors have looked refreshed since the trade deadline thanks to the arrival of Jimmy Butler.
There was a lot of soul-searching within the Golden State Warriors franchise over what to do ahead of the trade deadline.
Stephen Curry even warned them not to throw away the future in pursuit of a major swing now. And in the end, the Warriors did not over-extend to land Jimmy Butler, sacrificing a protected 2025 first round pick, Kyle Anderson and Andrew Wiggins.
And it has worked out well so far, with Butler re-energizing the team heading into the All-Star break.
Moses Moody was a participant in the Skills Challenge as part of the All-Star weekend along with teammate Draymond Green.
The 22-year-old spoke to reporters to discuss the state of the Warriors, and explained the early impact Jimmy Butler has had on the team. He also explained the former Miami Heat star has immediately fitted in with his new team.
Moody explained: “I’m excited going into it. We’ve got some new energy, feeling good, coming off this last road trip. Jimmy has been great for the team. In the locker room it’s been a smooth transition, so I’m excited for the rest of the season.”
Asked to discuss Butler’s attributes, Moody picked out what he believes is the two-time finalist’s most underrated quality.
He said: “He brings that tenacity, that dog he got in him, but also an underrated thing I think he brings is composure. He’s not a fast, high-turnover player.
“I think that’s good for our team to come down, slow us down, especially closing out games. If we have 10-point lead we’ve got to be able to close that game out.”
The Warriors have lost a number of close games this season, and Butler will help their play. Following their recent win over the Houston Rockets, team legend Chris Mullin cited the victory as a game they would have lost without him.
Moses Moody says the Golden State Warriors are now re-adjusting on the fly and attempting to try and find some form and identity ahead of the playoffs.
It is also no guarantee they get there, the team rank in 10th in the Western Conference with a 28-27 record.
Moody said: “Coming into the playoffs, you never really know what the highs and lows are going to look like. We have to form that identity as a new team essentially. We changed out a lot of players, so we’ve got to form a new identity.”
He was also asked if the players were panicking ahead of the trade deadline, an idea he was quick to refute.
“I wouldn’t say feeling a panic just because we’re NBA players and you’ve got to be prepared for whatever.
“Just practicing composure, practicing high-intensity situations but being able to go out there and perform is what we do on a daily basis. Managing emotions is what I think we’re professionals at.”
The Warriors restart against the Sacramento Kings this week before hosting the Dallas Mavericks, two teams they are jostling with for position in the West.
