Warriors’ Gamble On Jimmy Butler Paying Off As Draymond Green Eyes Another NBA Title

The Golden State Warriors are surging at just the right time, and a lot of that has to do with their latest addition—Jimmy Butler. Since acquiring the six-time All-Star from the Miami Heat, the Warriors have gone 5-1, looking like a team capable of making a deep postseason run. Their latest victory, a dominant performance against the Dallas Mavericks, showed just how much Butler has impacted both ends of the floor.

Draymond Green, never one to shy away from bold declarations, made headlines during All-Star weekend when he stated his expectation to win a fifth championship this spring. When pressed for details, Green credited Butler as the missing link Golden State had been searching for all season.

“This team all year has been kind of like, ‘Man, we’re right there, but can’t quite get over the hump,’” Green told The Athletic. “And the reason I think we all thought we couldn’t quite get over was because there was a missing piece. That piece isn’t missing anymore. That piece is him.”

While some within the Warriors organization had concerns about Butler’s reputation and past exits from teams, Green fully endorsed the move. According to The Athletic, Green actively pushed for the front office to bring in another “a–hole” to match the team’s competitive edge.

“Jimmy almost won the championship leading the team—twice,” Green said. “So he just needed a little bit more to get over the hump. We needed a little more to get over the hump. You mix the two together, and what you get is what everybody’s going to see.”

Butler, for his part, is letting his play do the talking. When asked about Green’s championship prediction, he downplayed it but acknowledged the team’s newfound belief.

“I don’t pay attention to social (media), so I didn’t know that (Green) said that,” Butler said. “But we do have a chance. And the reason why is not because I’m here. It’s because everybody thinks that we can win. That’s all that matters.”

Despite their recent surge, the Warriors remain in the No. 9 seed at 30-27, but they’re just 1.5 games behind the Clippers for the coveted No. 6 spot, which guarantees a playoff berth. Head coach Steve Kerr emphasized how Butler has transformed the team, particularly when Stephen Curry is off the court, an area of concern all season.

“You can tell our fans see the difference,” Kerr said. “They feel the momentum just like we do. It was an important shift. The trade itself—we needed it. We felt it. We were kind of treading water. We couldn’t get any traction in the season, and (GM) Mike (Dunleavy) sensed it and made the move. Sometimes you’ve got to shake things up. It just so happened that one of the best players in the league was available.”

With Butler bringing out the best in young players like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, and Green doubling down on the team’s championship mindset, Golden State may have just found the missing ingredient for another NBA title run.