This was written as a 250-500 word prompt for a publication
When the Golden State Warriors traded for star player Jimmy Butler at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline, the reaction from fans was lukewarm.
The Warriors had a losing record prior to Butler’s debut with the team, and after Butler’s chaotic exit from Miami, fans weren’t so sure he’d give the Warriors all he had.
Now though, fans have totally done a 180 degree turn on their opinions toward Butler. The Warriors have the 2nd best winning percentage in the Western Conference during the time span from Butler’s debut with the team on February 8th to now, and there’s just a new fire the team has played with.
After starting the season with a 10-2 record, the Warriors began to slip up and look nothing like the team that stepped on the court during their first twelve games of the season. Fans criticized the front office, head coach Steve Kerr, and just about every player not named Steph Curry. Now fans can’t give any of those aforementioned people more praise.
Coach Kerr has gone deeper than ever into his playbook and has pulled out plays that Warriors fans haven’t seen since Kerr’s predecessor, Mark Jackson, was coaching the team. Plays like the Elevator Doors play, the Double Screen Curl and the Hoya Fence play have all been on display since Butler’s become a Warrior and it’s evident there was a total energy shift within the team’s locker room upon Butler’s arrival.
Butler’s stats haven’t been what we’re typically used to. This season Butler is averaging 17.3 points per game, which is his lowest average in that area since the 2013-14 season. However, during his time with the Warriors, Butler is averaging the most assists and rebounds per game that he’s averaged since the 2020-21 season.
This is a clear indication of the new role that Butler is playing with the Warriors, and their record since his arrival should be all you need to see to know how well it’s working out for them. With a 16-3 record in the games that Butler suited up for the Warriors, it’s clear that Butler was the cog in their system that the team needed.
The Warriors currently sit in 6th place in the Western Conference with a 41-30 record for the season, and things are looking up in Golden State.
With the NBA Playoffs beginning in less than a month, on April 19th, and the Play-In Tournament kicking off on April 15th, the Warriors are currently slated to avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether and take sole possession of a playoff seed.
After looking like they were going to miss the playoffs all together before Butler arrived, it’s easy to see now just how important Jimmy Butler is for the Golden State Warriors, and just how scary of a matchup they will be for their opponents once the 2025 NBA Playoffs roll around.
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