The big three of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green brought four NBA Championships to the bay area as the core group of the Golden State Warriors.
Fans of Golden State would love another title to San Francisco (Calif.), and the team has a new third member. After moving off Thompson in the NBA’s first-ever six-team trade transaction on July 6, 2024, Jimmy Butler has been a breath of fresh air.
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Butler, a six-time NBA All-Star, was traded from the Miami Heat to the Warriors on February 6.
The 35-year-old has brought a toughness and intensity that matches Green’s.
Butler’s swagger and grit blends in well with Curry and Green as he’s totaled seven 20-plus point games since his arrival. He turned in a double-double performance on Tuesday versus Milwaukee, walking out the building with 24 points and 10 assists on six-of-13 shooting from the field. Butler also grabbed eight rebounds in 37 minutes, pushing the Warriors to a 104-93 victory.
Golden State is 40-29 and holding the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference as we inch closer to the playoffs.
According to a segment from The Ringer podcast, Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo look at the Warriors as a ‘legitimately dangerous’ team in the playoff because of Butler.
“I think they’re legitimately dangerous. I’m not counting this team out.” @BillSimmons and @ryenarussillo react to what they’ve seen so far from the pairing of Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry in Golden State. pic.twitter.com/5qB2Z1RoSJ
— The Ringer (@ringer) February 24, 2025
“Watching the way he’s playing with these guys, it’s weird,” Simmons said about Butler. “It reminded of when Randy Moss got with the ’07 Pats and was just so delighted to be in a real offense with Brady. He was just like skipping around, right? And Butler, watching the space that he has, but also the connection he has with Draymond … I was not prepared for.”
Simmons said Butler looks ‘invigorated’ with the Warriors.
“I am not counting this team out,” he said.
Butler gives you buckets on offense and toughness on defense. Both are needed to get Golden State to another title.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
