As the Golden State Warriors continue to roll with Jimmy Butler on their roster, the exceptional status of his fit within their offensive and defensive structure has never been clearer.
Since joining the Warriors, Butler is averaging a solid 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, using his versatility as a veritable winning player to complete the team's dynamic. Since his arrival, Golden State is 16-4 and is now pushing for a playoff berth in the Western Conference.
The veteran forward has perfectly complemented the dynamic scoring of Stephen Curry and the defensive quarterbacking of Draymond Green, and given the team's recent success, seems to be exactly what they were missing through their mid-season stretch of mediocrity.
However, Butler's recent comments to The Athletic's Anthony Slater surrounding his trade to the Warriors reveal that it is a perfect fit off the court as well.
The Warriors could be a lasting fit for Jimmy Butler
Butler's final months with the Miami Heat received loads of publicity, largely due to the spectacle made of his demands for a contract extension during the offseason. Butler and Heat President Pat Riley butted heads in a very public fashion, with multiple team suspensions being handed down to the 6x All-Star for reportedly refusing to participate in team activities.
Butler, took the Heat to two unlikely NBA Finals appearances during his tenure there, but has always been a stubborn character which has resulted in friction with multiple franchises in the past.
In anticipation of his return to Miami on Tuesday night, Butler told Slater about one of his first games with Golden State against the Brooklyn Nets. The 35-year-old needed to skip the team flight in order to pick up his children from Miami, with Steve Kerr agreeing in a definite sign of the flexibility that the Warriors would extend Butler.
Regarding Butler's individuality, Kerr said, "We welcome personal quirkiness and individualism, and I think guys always feel a sense of freedom here... I told Jimmy that from Day 1."
In addition to this singular act of leniency, Golden State has extended Butler the gift that he sought so doggedly in Miami: security with a franchise. As part of the trade, the Warriors signed Butler to a two-year, $111 million contract extension, guaranteeing him through the 2026-27 season and the end of Curry and Green's current deals.
While Butler has had disastrous departures from a number of franchises in the past, and deserves some of the reputation he has earned as a result, much of the blame can be placed on stubborn front offices and coaching staffs as well.
If Steve Kerr and Golden State General Manager Mike Dunleavy continue to afford Butler the credit he has earned as a star player in this league, this could be a happy and prosperous union for quite some time.