The NBA and sport in general is full of sliding doors moments, particularly when you're a star like Jimmy Butler who's found himself at multiple stops before arriving at the Golden State Warriors in February.
Golden State's acquisition of Butler last season required a number of things falling into place, including the threats of ex-Phoenix Suns coach Earl Watson all the way back in 2017 when the veteran forward was a member of the Chicago Bulls.
Earl Watson may have saved Jimmy Butler's path to the Warriors
In a recent interview with Bucks Plus Audio, Watson recalled how the Suns had a shock trade in place to acquire Butler by giving up none other than now All-Star guard Devin Booker who was only in his second season at the time.
When then Phoenix owner Robert Sarver brought Watson in to discuss the trade, the head coach threatened to resign on the spot were the franchise to go through with it or any other deal involving Booker.
🚨HEAR DISTRICT EXCLUSIVE🚨@Earl_Watson shares how he stopped Robert Sarver from trading a young Devin Booker for Jimmy Butler 🤯
— Dylan Hunter Carter (@DylanHCarter) December 19, 2025
Would’ve changed the course of Phoenix Suns & NBA History (via @BucksPlusAudio). pic.twitter.com/LcvJnydI0U
Needless to say this a huge 'what if' moment in the league, particularly in the trajectory of both the Bulls and the Suns. Booker quickly developed into Phoenix's franchise star and led them to the NBA Finals in 2021, while Chicago have never been able to find that level of player and have won only one solitary playoff game since Butler's departure.
It's clearly a big moment in Butler's career too, having ultimately been moved to the Minnesota Timberwolves before stops at the Philadelphia 76ers and most famously the Miami Heat who he led to a pair of Finals appearances.
The irony to all of this is that some eight years after they initially thought about trading for Butler, the Suns were trying to acquire the 6x All-Star again last season. There was a time shortly before the trade deadline where it looked like Butler may go to Phoenix and Kevin Durant would return to Golden State, only for the latter to reject the move and leave the Warriors to acquire Butler for themselves.
If not for Watson and his threat to Suns management, the Warriors may never have got their hands on Butler who completely changed the team's fortunes following his arrival last season.
The Warriors may find themselves in a hole again right now as they sit two games below .500 on the season, but it's hardly a Butler issue after the 36-year-old went for 31 points despite Thursday's loss to...again ironically...the Suns.