Breakdown of Butler’s First Games With Warriors; His Tangible and Intangible Value
From the moment six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler touched down in the San Francisco Bay, there was a different energy surrounding the Warriors. There were tough goodbyes, losing a key contributor to their 2022 championship team in Andrew Wiggins and several other pieces in Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and Lindy Waters III. However, there was also a newfound confidence in the team’s outlook, not just this season but through the 2026-27 season, with Butler’s contract aligning with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
“We know who Jimmy is,” Curry said. “He’s gone to two Finals, is a winner, has a lot to prove and we’re going to try to help each other do that.”
Curry was so eager to incorporate his new two-way co-star that he couldn’t help but think of Butler — who wasn’t yet with the team — during the first game after the news was reported and texted his new teammate at halftime. According to the two-time MVP, Butler’s response was “very pleasant.”
Butler’s positive demeanor was evident in his introductory press conference in Los Angeles, as he was simply happy to be playing basketball again for an organization with the same winning mindset.
“I’m grateful to be playing for a top-tier organization like this one,” Butler said. “What I respect most about those guys is how they’ve won at so many different levels.”
Butler fittingly played his first game with the Warriors in Chicago, where his NBA career started as a member of the Bulls and on the one-year anniversary of the tragic passing of his father. He donned the name Butler III on the back of his jersey for the first time to honor his dad. In the game, he helped the Warriors to a 21-point win despite at one point trailing by as many as 24 points. Butler scored 20-plus points in his first three games, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Kevin Durant as the only Warriors ever to accomplish that feat. He had 19 points in the fourth game and the Warriors went 3-1 over that span. It was how he got his points, along with the other tangible and intangible ways he impacted these games, that showcased the impact the five-time All-NBA performer can have on this franchise.
Butler’s most glaring box score impact so far has been his ability to put pressure on the defense and get to the free throw line. Butler attempted 40 free throws over his first four games, including 13 and 15 attempts in his first two.
“The fact that Jimmy went to the line 15 times, 13 times vs. Chicago shows you the power of free throws,” Kerr said following the Warriors’ win in Milwaukee. “The ability to get your defense set and settle a game down is a big change. We don’t go to the line much, but in the last two games — over 30 attempts in both games — maybe that’s about to change.”
The Dubs ranked 27th in free throw attempts and 30th in free throw percentage before Butler arrived and in the four games he’s played, they are third in attempts and fifth in percentage. Statistically, they haven’t had a volume free-throw shooter of this magnitude since Kevin Durant.
Butler is an extremely well-rounded player who attacks the glass with ferocity, defends at a high level and can make the game easier for others as a playmaker. In fact, playmaking has been the most impressive aspect of the Butler addition so far, according to Head Coach Steve Kerr.
“It’s been seamless and it’s because of Jimmy’s IQ,” Kerr said of adding Butler to the mix. “He has an incredible feel. We’re only running 3-4 sets and everything else is just basketball. He’s making the right reads and in the right place on both ends.”
In particular, the Warriors have used Butler as a safety valve for Curry, as another marquee player defenses have to worry about. Butler has set a lot of on-ball screens for Curry and rolled to the middle of the paint, where he’s a threat to penetrate, pass or shoot.
“He goes right in the middle of the zone, hits me for backdoor passes in the dunker spot, finds shooters for threes, or turns around and hits the middy,” Green said of the different reads Butler makes in the short roll.
Curry has been the biggest beneficiary of having another star that commands attention and it instantly translated to his play. Curry had scored 30-plus points in the two games before Butler but was under 40 percent from the field in both — the Dubs also lost both games. He eclipsed 30 in the first two games with his new co-star, but the efficiency substantially rose to 50-plus percent and the Warriors won both times.
“Every possession doesn’t feel as hard,” Curry said of playing next to Butler. “You have to worry about someone else. If there is a double and you get off it, something good is going to happen on the back end.”
“He’s a shot creator, a finisher, somebody that you have to take into account no matter where he’s on the floor,” Curry continued. “He plays at his own speed, can get to the foul line and takes advantage of matchups. He’s a competitor at the highest of levels.”
Although they have different ways of attacking, Butler and Curry have discovered that what makes them unique can complement each other’s games to help the tandem and the team overall reach its maximum potential.
“He’s the exact opposite player of me,” Curry said after the debut game in Chicago. “I took 16 3s and he shot one. He got to the free throw line a lot and dominated the paint. I dominate the perimeter. It has the potential to be really fun.”
“Opposites attract in life,” Butler said. “I don’t think I could be a better complement to him and vice versa. They’re not leaving him ever. I get the easy job. I’m playing 1-on-1 or in space.”
Butler has been empowered to be aggressive and play his game within this system. Draymond Green has encouraged him to think “score first,” believing his shot creation is much needed.
“It helps when you have everyone on the coaching staff and roster telling me to be who I am, be myself and it’ll work out just fine,” Butler said.
The Warriors have added another “alpha dog” that they have no desire to tame. He has installed the confidence this group needs heading into the stretch run of the season.
“Whatever the ‘it’ factor is, we needed it and that’s what Jimmy is bringing us,” Kerr said. “A star confidence, you can feel his presence and force. He’s infusing the team with new energy.”
“I’m so happy over here, the Warriors are top-notch,” Butler said. “I get to play with Steph [Curry] who I’m a fan of, just like 99.9% of the world. The chance of winning a championship, what more can you ask for?”
With 27 games left and a 28-27 record, there’s no telling how far the Warriors will go this season. But with Butler, there’s a newfound belief no matter the opponent or challenge ahead.
“Since he’s gotten here, we’ve gone into every game thinking and believing we’re going to win,” Green said. “He’s brought back that belief. That goes a long way in this league.”
