Draymond Green was running onto the court for the Golden State Warriors‘ game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday when he spotted a reporter interviewing Jimmy Butler in the hallway.
Green stopped. He gave Butler a warm hug, flashing a wide grin. Then he took off again.
“People like that, man, that’s who you want to go to war with,” Butler told FOX Sports as Green flew by. “F—king dogs that don’t give a damn and do anything it takes to win.”
Butler seemed genuinely excited to be on the Warriors a day after Miami traded him, ending a months-long standoff between him and the Heat that included him being suspended three times. He’s expected to make his Warriors debut Saturday against Chicago.
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Green is equally thrilled about the partnership. He was consulted by Warriors’ general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. about the Warriors pursuing Butler, and gave his blessing without hesitation.
“Everybody is afraid of guys who have some s–t to them,” Green told FOX Sports. “But guys who don’t have s–t to them don’t win.”
Butler is a controversial superstar.
He led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances and made a name for himself by shining on the biggest of stages, earning the moniker “Playoff Jimmy.” But he’s also known for his time with Chicago, Minnesota, Philadelphia and, most recently, Miami, ending with varying degrees of drama.
The Warriors landed Butler after a failed attempt to bring back Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant, who won two championships with Golden State in 2017 and 2018. Durant reportedly wasn’t interested in a reunion after leaving in free agency in 2019 amid rising tensions. When Green was asked if he was surprised by Durant’s decision, he told FOX Sports: “No, not at all. Makes all the sense in the world.”
In conjunction with the trade with Miami, Butler agreed to a two-year, $111 million extension through the 2026-27 season, and he will decline his $52 million player option next season.
Butler is joining a Warriors team that won four titles in eight years from 2015-2022, but has struggled since, getting eliminated in the second round of the playoffs in 2023 and missing the postseason altogether last year.
Currently, the Warriors are in 11th place in the Western Conference with a record of 25-26.
Butler wanted a new start. And the Warriors wanted another superstar alongside the 36-year-old Steph Curry to ensure that the tail end of Curry’s prime wouldn’t be squandered.
The Warriors believe this is their chance to be great again.
Curry called Butler a winner, adding, “When the stakes get higher, he rises to the occasion.” Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr: “I think he’ll fit right in.”
Green didn’t hesitate when asked if he believes Butler could make the Warriors champions.
“I think so,” Green told FOX Sports. “We’ve obviously got to put it together and figure it out. But I definitely think this puts us in contention to compete at the highest level — 1,000 percent. You’ve got a chance to get one of the top 20 players in the NBA. That’s incredible.”
This much is for sure: No team would be in a rush to face Curry, Green and Butler in a seven-game playoff series.
“We’re going to bring hell to a lot of people,” Butler told FOX Sports.
***
This season, there were rumblings that Butler didn’t show enough effort at times with the Heat.
It’s an interesting point of contention for a player whose most enduring image is when he was slumped over the scorer’s table in exhaustion after Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals. He had just poured his heart out with a 35-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist performance in a win over the Lakers.
In that moment, he was the epitome of effort.
Jimmy Butler led Miami to two NBA Finals appearances, including in 2020 against the L.A. Lakers in the bubble
Butler isn’t able to pinpoint when things began unraveling between him and the Heat.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, but it did happen,” Butler told FOX Sports. “I’m so far past that. I’ve been past it for some time. I know what was going on. I know what they were doing. But the one thing you can’t control is the way somebody else views you.
“[The Warriors] view me as a high-value guy here. They think I can help them win. So that’s what I’m stuck on. That’s what I want to do.”
Butler clearly didn’t feel valued anymore in Miami.
The first hint of a fissure reared its head last offseason, when team president Pat Riley expressed uncertainty in May about giving Butler a contract extension this season.
Butler, undoubtedly, felt disrespected by that. He scored 40 points eight times in the postseason. He took the eighth-seeded Heat to the Finals in 2023, including having a 56-point masterpiece against Milwaukee in Game 4 of their first-round series.
He felt he earned a lucrative nod, one that was commensurate with his production.
At the time, Riley called the extension a “big decision” for “somebody who’s not going to be there and available every single night.” Butler had missed at least 18 games every season since he joined the team in 2019, sitting out due to injuries, rest and various other reasons.
Riley also took exception to Butler saying in a social media interview last postseason that the Heat would’ve beaten Boston in their first-round series if he hadn’t been injured. “If you’re not on the court playing … you should keep your mouth shut,” Riley said.
Things continued to sour this season, culminating in Butler demanding a trade. He felt underappreciated and his role on the offensive end had dramatically declined.
He averaged 17.0 points on 10.5 field goal attempts this season, his fewest marks in both categories since his third year in the league in 2013-14. His usage rate of 21.6 was also his lowest since his third season, and well behind the team’s other two stars, Tyler Herro (27.6) and Bam Adebayo (23.1).
Still, Butler shot a career-high 54% from the field.
Tensions peaked in early January when Butler said he lost his joy on the court following a game against Indiana. When asked if he could regain it with the Heat, he added, “probably not.”
A day later, the Heat suspended him for seven games for “conduct detrimental to the team.” He returned for three games before he was suspended again after he missed a team flight. His third suspension came after he left practice early after learning he would come off the bench.
This time, the suspension was indefinite.
When asked why he lost his joy, Butler didn’t hesitate.
“Not being able to be the player I know I’m capable of being, honestly,” Butler told FOX Sports. “My time came and my time went there. That’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’ve got a love for the city of Miami. We’ve done a lot of great things. They’ve helped me become the player that I am today, so I’m very grateful.”
***
There are two versions of Butler.
When he’s happy, he’s the hardest working player on the court, capable of single-handedly carrying a franchise on his shoulders.
When he’s unhappy, he’s known to make life very uncomfortable for his franchise.
At first, it seemed as though he was the perfect fit in Miami. But, eventually, he clashed with the well-documented Heat culture. It was established by Riley’s iron fist, and encompasses the tenets of selflessness and discipline.
Butler is known for his discipline, but he also likes to do things his own way.
Now, there are questions about how he’ll fit with the Warriors, who have their own distinct culture, ruled by a combination of Curry’s joy and Green’s fire.
Butler can be mercurial and difficult – and he’s definitely eccentric. He made his own coffee in the NBA bubble and sold it to players for $20 a cup, a hilarious endeavor for a player earning over $34 million at the time.
Then, at media day in Sept. 2023, he showed up with an emo look to troll reporters, rocking straight hair, eyebrow piercings, black lipstick and black nail polish.
Butler’s Media Day style choices have become the stuff of legend in recent seasons
On and off the court, Butler is unique. He’s a character, but he’s also vocal and blunt, unafraid of calling out executives, coaches and teammates, a role that has been typically assumed by Green on the Warriors.
When Butler was in Chicago, he called out new coach Fred Hoiberg, saying, “You got to hold everyone accountable.” In Minnesota, he told manager Scott Layden, “You f—king need me, Scott. You can’t win without me.” In Philadelphia, he challenged the hierarchy of the “Big Three.” And in Miami, he made it clear he resented that the team didn’t get high profile stars to join him, such as Damian Lillard.
When Butler feels slighted or that those around him aren’t matching his intensity, things tend to go awry very quickly.
But the Warriors aren’t worried about his fit.
“You pick your poison, right,” Green told FOX Sports. “Oh, Jimmy can be a little tough? Because he wants to win? I’ll pick dealing with that tough [rather] than dealing with a guy that just wants to exist and show up and go about their day. He will do whatever it takes to win. That’s what we need.”
Curry, similarly, isn’t concerned.
“He’s a dog, he’s a winner, and just the idea that he has a lot to prove with the new situation,” Curry said. “He’s excited to help us, and we’re excited to help him. He has a certain style that right now I think we lack in the sense of shot creation, being able to get to the line, controlling halfcourt possessions.”
As for Butler, he’s just looking forward to starting fresh.
He missed 19 of Miami’s last 24 games, including 14 of the last 17 due to suspensions, which cost him $500,000 a game. He hasn’t played since Jan. 21, spending his time away from the team, training and with his family.
Butler claims he wasn’t bothered by all of the noise around him over the last few months.
“I don’t care,” Butler told FOX Sports. “I don’t care that people talk. That’s what people are supposed to do. When they don’t know what’s really going on, you’re supposed to talk. You’re supposed to speculate and you’re supposed to guess. I’m just happy that I get an opportunity to play basketball again. I’m happy that they’re not just making up ways to suspend me and that I get to go out there and compete.”
As for the Warriors, they’re hoping this move puts them atop the league again.
“The best version of myself is what this team needs,” Butler told FOX Sports. “And that’s what I’m going to be.”
He has his joy back.
And he’s ready to remind everyone who Jimmy Butler is again.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
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