The Golden State Warriors have already been regarded as big winners from their blockbuster trade for Jimmy Butler in early February, having seen their season completely flipped on its head following the arrival of the 6x All-Star.
Butler may have helped the Warriors go from a less than .500 record to taking out the second-seed Houston Rockets and reaching the second-round of the playoffs, but there's still another level he can get to which will make the trade even more lopsided -- and make Golden State a far tougher challenge to face.
Jimmy Butler hasn't found his jump-shot with the Warriors
Butler's never been known as a 3-point shooter, rather someone who does his best work in the paint and from the mid-range area. That was something that was on full display once he arrived at the Warriors, giving the team a new presence and offensive versatility with his ability to dissect defenses and get to the free-throw line.
However, as much as shooting may not be a big part of Butler's toolkit, it seems like he left that part back in Miami following the trade. His 3-point numbers took a significant dive, having shot just 27.9% in 30 regular season games followed by 30.6% during the playoffs.
Again, Butler doesn't prioritize 3-point shooting whatsoever, but he was at least efficient during his final few seasons with the Heat. He shot 35% from beyond the arc in 2022-23, followed that with a career-high 41.4% in 2023-24, and even drilled 36.1% in his dramatic 25 games last season before the trade.
Perhaps more concerning is the fact his mid-range shooting also struggled upon his arrival at the Warriors. Butler was at just 36.4% from the mid-range after the All-Star break and 33.3% during the playoffs, both well below the in excess of 40% he's shot at various points throughout his career.
The importance in Butler's shooting numbers weigh heavier when you consider his teammates and the kind of lineups Steve Kerr is putting on the floor. Fellow veteran forward Draymond Green is never really respected from beyond the arc despite stretches of rhythm and improved percentages, while the same can be said for Jonathan Kuminga at this stage of his career.
If Kuminga does return to the Warriors to start next season, the ability for Kerr to play each of he, Butler and Green for significant minutes will largely be determined by how that trio shoot from beyond the arc.
Butler finding his mid-range and shooting even just 35-36% from 3-point range would make a huge difference to his own production, his fit with teammates, and Golden State's ability to draw closer to the absolute top tier of teams in the Western Conference.