Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors have so far been a match made in basketball heaven.
Former Miami Heat star Udonis Haslem warned recently that Jimmy Butler’s heroics with the Golden State Warriors could run dry.
And despite a brief wobble against his former team when the Heat beat the Warriors, the Jimmy Butler experience in the Bay has been a resounding success.
Speaking post-game after the win over the Grizzlies, Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted Butler had saved their season.
“Everybody knows that. You watch what he did tonight, 12 for 12 from the line. Steph goes off the floor. We’re running everything through him. Just a big-time defender. Big-time two way player.”
The Warriors are 19-4 since trading for Butler, and 18-2 in games he has played. The impact speaks for itself.
What Jimmy Butler said at his Warriors press conference
Back in mid-February following the long awaited trade away from the Miami Heat happened, and Butler was unveiled amid a beam of positivity.
Speaking at the time, Butler was optimistic his move to the Golden State Warriors would be successful.
He told his press conference: “I think our personalities are going to be fine. I would like to say that I am a winner. I haven’t won “it,” but I would like to call myself a winner. I do want to win “it”; “it” being a championship.
“And as far as playing with Steph, everybody knows he’s the greatest shooter in the world. Greatest shooter in history. Makes my job a lot easier. I’ve probably got a lot more space out there.
“But more than anything, I think it’s always going to be a team effort. We all got a lot more space out there. We’ll see how it goes.”
While perspectives and narratives will be formed around playoff performances and results, at this early stage the Warriors and Jimmy Butler have been a hit.
Jimmy Butler has adapted his role on the Warriors
Jimmy Butler has worked out well for the Golden State Warriors because he has fitted in so seamlessly.
He has not come in and acted like a superstar who needs the offense to be constructed around him, he has adapted around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green and co.
While at the Miami Heat, Butler was expected to be the superstar who carried the team, his chameleon-style ability means he has changed his role to support Curry.
Golden State and Steve Kerr are used to adding a superstar into the mix, famously throwing Kevin Durant into the team in 2016, and having to re-work their offense around him.
There has been no drama, and Butler has fitted in so well that his supporting role has been compared to Andre Iguodala, the highest compliment possible for a Warriors player.
