Draymond Green believes Jimmy Butler is the key for Warriors to win another NBA championship

Draymond Green remains highly confident that he can secure his fifth NBA title with the Golden State Warriors this season. That confidence, however, took root the moment Jimmy Butler joined the squad, bolstering the team’s chances to add another trophy to their collection.

After a strong start to the season with a 12-3 record, the Warriors faltered, slipping to a frustrating 13-22 slump. But everything changed once Butler, the former Miami Heat star, came aboard. Since his arrival, the Warriors have turned things around with a 17-4 record. During the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend, Green boldly declared: “We are going to win the championship”.

In a recent episode of Dubs Talk, Green doubled down on his championship aspirations, breaking down why he believes this year’s team has what it takes. “I think when the All-Star break had rolled around, we had played like five games with Jimmy, but I knew the feeling playing in those games,” Green explained. “I knew the chemistry. I knew when this thing is going wrong, we got this thing we can go to now”.

Green credited Butler’s presence for allowing the team to deploy versatile lineups, a critical factor for championship contention. “I knew we got Jimmy; that allows us to play small ball, that allows us to go big, that allows us to play different lineups,” Green continued. “When you’re trying to win a championship — if you’re going to compete for a championship — you must be able to throw different lineups out there”.

Jimmy Butler #10, Draymond Green #23 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors walk backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Lineup versatility and championship DNA

Green recalled last season’s struggles, highlighting how the team often ran out of strategic options. “You may remember last year Steph [Curry] and Steve [Kerr] were talking about how we ran out of options. What they were referring to was we could not match any lineup that a team put on the floor,” Green noted. “Now, with adding Jimmy, that gives us a much greater chance at matching any lineup that a team could possibly put on the floor. And in the playoffs, that matters“.

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The Warriors’ veteran leader also emphasized their championship pedigree, pointing to himself, Stephen Curry, and Butler as the core of the team’s title hopes. While Butler has yet to win a title, Green noted his Finals experience with the Miami Heat as evidence of his ability to rise to the occasion.

“Steph definitely knows how to win a championship,” Green said. “I know how to win a championship. And quite honestly, Jimmy. Jimmy’s gotten to the Finals twice with teams he probably shouldn’t have gotten there with. And to get that far and be on the verge of just one play needing to go your way, he has the know-how”.

Steve Kerr’s championship expertise

Green didn’t stop there. He praised head coach Steve Kerr’s unmatched championship résumé, citing his nine NBA titles—five as a player and four as a coach—as a vital asset to the team’s pursuit of another trophy.

“So amongst us three, and don’t add in our maestro who is the guru when it comes to winning championships, he’s got nine of them. We have the know-how — and that’s a big part of it, too,” Green added.

The Warriors’ versatile lineups, defensive improvements, and ability to get to the free-throw line, according to Green, give the team the right mix for championship success.

“Now we have this ability to match lineups, we have this ability to get to the free-throw line, we have this ability to defend. I know what equals. I know how that feels. I also know what the vibe of a championship team feels like — and this team got that. So that’s why I said it. I believe it,” he concluded.