Jimmy Butler won't address every single problem the Golden State Warriors currently face, but his addition should reduce one huge concern that was again painfully obvious against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Less than an hour after the Warriors reportedly acquired Butler for a package of Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters III and a top 10 protected first-round pick, the remaining Golden State players were forced to take the floor against the Jazz still quite clearly emotional from news of the trade.
After a slow start in the opening period, the Warriors found themselves in a more than winnable position up 11 with three minutes remaining. What was to follow was an unmitigated disaster fans have seen far too often before, with Golden State suffering a meltdown as Utah closed on a 20-6 run to claim a 131-128 victory.
The Warriors are acquiring one of the league's best clutch players
Say what you want about the Butler trade and the simultaneous decision to hand him a two-year, $112 million extension, but the Warriors acquired him because of their desperation for a second star and another go-to scorer/shot creator.
The value in that often shows itself at the end of games in clutch situations, a position Butler so often thrives in during the regular season and notably in the playoffs. Golden State were far too reliant on Stephen Curry down the stretch on Wednesday, with the 2x MVP never truly finding a rhythm against the Jazz where he shot 12-of-31 from the floor including 6-of-18 from 3-point range.
With Butler's presence, it would have been easy to foresee a different outcome in a similar scenario. His ability to slow down the game, make plays for himself or others, and get to the free-throw line would have not only helped generate better Warrior offense, but also prevented the fast-break transition opportunities for the Jazz who incredibly scored 20 points over the final three minutes.
After finishing second in the NBA's inaugural Clutch Player of the Year voting in 2023, Butler currently ranks sixth in average clutch scoring (minimum eight clutch games) so far this season despite his tumultuous end in Miami. For context, Curry currently ranks 20th.
Butler shoots over 56% from the floor and 50% from 3-point range in clutch situations this season, suggesting he'll drastically improve a Golden State team that ranks 18th in fourth-quarter net rating this season, and 16th in clutch net rating.
The Warriors will still be far from a perfect team following Butler's acquisition, but this is undoubtedly one of the key areas the franchise would have considered when trading for the 6x All-Star, having seen the team throw away so many winnable games over the past two seasons.