Warriors’ roster being molded to the strengths of Jimmy Butler 

Entering his first full season with the Golden State Warriors, Jimmy Butler has been working as hard as ever in preparation for the long road ahead.

As Warriors media day and training camp are now less than a week away, a sense of structure is emerging that will be crucial to the team’s early success. Getting the guys together, on the same page, ensuring a shared goal, and setting expectations are the kinds of leadership Butler brings to Golden State.

Butler’s Finals runs in Miami featured teams built around his strengths: 3&D players, stretch bigs, and elite shooters. Getting back to the NBA Finals is what it’s all about.

Warriors have a good 3&D rotation

Versatility across the rotation creates mismatch opportunities opponents can’t counter, best exemplified by the ‘3&D’ role players.

These are guys capable of taking the defensive load off star players while they carry the team’s offense, knocking down open shots and forcing defenders to stay on guard.

Warriors players like Podziemski, Melton, and Moody fit well into these roles and still have room to develop into more central figures in the rotation.

Al Horford to sign with Golden State

The stretch big role now dominates all aspects of offense in 2025. While teams now expect their centers to stretch the floor, a decade ago, this was rare.

The strategy behind having a big man stretch the floor is to open driving lanes and avoid clogging the paint for players like Butler, who likes to patrol the post, drive, and kick out to the stretch big.

In one sequence, then attacking the mismatch when a defender stays glued to that same stretch big the next. The Warriors’ pending acquisition of Al Horford and the return of Quentin Post ensure there will always be a reliable stretch big on the floor, adding depth to the team’s offense.

Elite shooting has been established

Golden State isn’t lacking in elite shooters. Buddy Hield delivered a masterful Game 7 performance against the Houston Rockets, going 9/11 from three-point range in the season’s biggest game. Alongside Hield, Stephen Curry is not only one of the best offensive talents but also the greatest shooter in NBA history.

Butler aims to help lead the Warriors to the promised land. A team he took to the NBA Finals in Miami has only been improved in Golden State, with superior players, culture, and schemes tailored to his strengths.

Growing concerns about Jonathan Kuminga’s status are easing, and he remains an unpredictable X-factor. Butler has a strong support system in Golden State, and the Warriors are determined to win the NBA championship.