Since the Golden State Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler III from the Miami Heat, things have started to trend in the right direction. Golden State is 5-1 sinde the trade and Butler is back to playing at an elite level.
Jimmy Butler feels that the Warriors are the best team he’s been a part of
The new situation may have something to do with Butler returning to the successful player he has been for most of his career. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Butler feels as though Golden State is the best team he’s been has ever been a part of in his 14-year career.
“He does feel like this organization is better than any other organization he’s been a part of. But I’m telling you it’s different this time. I haven’t sensed the same feeling he’s had when he went to Philly, when he went to Miami. This is different for Jimmy Butler going to Golden State. He’s staying late for shootarounds. He’s staying late for practices. He’s spending so much time in the training room, the meal room. He’s going above and beyond to ingratiate himself with the Warriors right now,” Charania said.
Butler has been on five teams throughout his career and has been an All-Star level player with each one. The Warriors brought in Butler badly needing a second superstar alongside Stephen Curry, and so far the results have shown it to be working.
Butler and the Warriors have been a perfect match so far
There was a lot of risk involved in taking on Butler given how his tenure in Miami concluded, but so far it seems like Butler and the Warriors have been the ideal match and he has been a strong fit on the roster.
There is a case to be made that Butler has arguably been on teams with objectively better rosters in his career, such as when he was paired with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons on the Philadelphia 76ers and Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo on the Miami Heat. However, Butler seems to be enjoying his new spot in the Bay Area and could help turn around an up-and-down year for the Warriors.
The Warriors are hoping to make a playoff push behind the duo of Butler and Curry. They are currently ninth in the Western Conference with a 30-27 record and have the Charlotte Hornets next on their schedule Tuesday. If Golden State anticipates making a deep run this year, they will do so behind the play of Butler.