If you want the short story: Jimmy Butler has fit amazingly well in two games playing alongside Steph Curry and the rest of the Golden State Warriors roster. Knowing Butler’s pedigree as a player — the high basketball IQ, playmaking, scoring, and defensive versatility — the on-court fit wasn’t something to be worried about.
All the worries involved Butler’s past history as a mercurial star, as well as his age. At 35-years old, he isn’t exactly a spring chicken; furthermore, it also puts a ceiling on his ability to be a lockdown defender tasked to guard opposing perimeter creators, whether they be guards or wings. Being paired with soon-to-be 37-year-old Curry also places a timer on their ability to bring the Warriors back to the promised land. As such, Butler’s recent extension with the Warriors (two years, $111 million) will carry him through the 2026-27 season — coincidentally, the same season in which Curry and Draymond Green’s current contracts will expire.
While Butler may have been acquired as somewhat of a win-now addition, the Warriors are currently 10th in the Western Conference with a 27-26 record. The best they could hope for is a climb up the standings toward a bona fide playoff berth and hope for Curry and Butler — both proven playoff performers — to make noise in the playoffs. But the true measure of their ability to bring the Warriors to a championship will be assessed next season and beyond. Mike Dunleavy Jr. has tradeable assets to play with in the offseason; it will fall upon his shoulders to surround the new star duo with complementary role players.
