One of the biggest storylines from the current NBA season comes from the Jimmy Butler trade drama with the Miami Heat. Butler requested a trade from the Heat ahead of the NBA trade deadline, sparking multiple weeks of drama from both sides.
More NBA news: Timberwolves Epically Troll Warriors, Steph Curry After Playoff Win
Eventually, Butler was sent to the Golden State Warriors, and the two sides were able to move on. Miami went downhill as the season went on, ultimately being eliminated in the first round of the postseason.
In contrast, Golden State immediately became one of the best teams in the NBA after the arrival of Butler. With Butler alongside star guard Stephen Curry, the Warriors transformed themselves into true title contenders.
But an injury to Curry in Game 1 of the team’s second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves changed everything. Eventually, the Warriors were eliminated by the Timberwolves in five games, with Curry sitting out the last four contests.
Following the Warriors’ playoff exit, former Miami Heat star Udonis Haslem called out Butler while on ESPN.
“I’ve seen guys guard D-Wade. No matter what you do, he gets his. Jayson Tatum, he gets his. … Jimmy Butler is not that unstoppable guy like those guys.”
Butler did what he could for the Warriors without Curry, helping them put up a fight against Minnesota. But the star forward wasn’t able to overcome the depth of the Timberwolves, and it eventually caught up to the team.
Butler averaged 20.2 points per game over the five-game series, however, the team was massively outplayed with him on the floor. Golden Stare was outscored by 37 points with Butler on the floor, showing the star to be a net-negative in the series.
Without Curry, the Warriors couldn’t space out the offense, allowing Minnesota to focus on Butler. For all his greatness, Butler couldn’t carry this team alone.
The Warriors will now head into the offseason with a ton of questions around the future of the team. But Golden State has a solid duo in place with Curry and Butler, and they will be looking to replicate the second-half success in a full year next season.
More NBA news:
Steve Kerr Says Losing Stephen Curry Sealed the Warriors’ Fate
Charles Barkley Suggests Bucks Deal Giannis Antetokounmpo to Draft Cooper Flagg
Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Reportedly Considering Future Outside of Milwaukee
For more on the Warriors, Heat, and NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Related Articles
- Charles Barkley Doesn’t Hold Back About Warriors’ Future After Elimination
- Steve Kerr Says Losing Stephen Curry Sealed the Warriors’ Fate
- Timberwolves Epically Troll Warriors, Steph Curry After Playoff Win
- How to Watch Warriors vs Timberwolves Game 5: Live Stream NBA Playoffs, TV Channel
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 2:06 PM.
