The Golden State Warriors made waves at the trade deadline by acquiring Jimmy Butler to strengthen their roster and provide much-needed support for Stephen Curry. The move has already begun to pay dividends, as Butler posted impressive performances in his first two games with the Warriors, scoring 20 and 25 points, respectively, and establishing himself as the team’s second-leading scorer behind Curry.
Recognizing the magnitude of this acquisition, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade shared his perspective on Butler’s potential impact during a recent episode of his podcast, “The Why With Dwyane Wade.”
Wade believes Butler is poised to thrive in his new role with the Warriors, where he won’t shoulder the responsibility of being the team’s sole superstar. The freedom to play off the ball and focus on his natural instincts, Wade suggests, will unlock a different version of Butler.
“And when I look at this from Jimmy’s standpoint (not being the team star), I go back to the Jimmy I knew in Marquette, the Jimmy I knew in Chicago at first before he became an All-Star Jimmy, the Jimmy that is just like a wild dog off the leash because he can now just be Jimmy,” Wade explained.
Jimmy Butler #10 of the Golden State Warriors drives around Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of a game at Fiserv Forum. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
“He don’t have to worry about scoring 56 this night. Now he can, but now he can just be a wild dog off the leash. And that Jimmy is different. That Jimmy can be different, so I’m excited about that,” he added.
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Curry praises Butler’s immediate impact
After the Warriors’ 123-111 victory over the Bucks, Stephen Curry lauded Butler’s contributions and his overall impact on the team’s improved performance. “We’ve put together, after the first half in Chicago [on Thursday], six pretty good quarters with intentionality, good effort,” Curry explained, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
“You see the positives of what Jimmy brings on both ends of the floor,” Curry continued. “Just a high IQ guy, a competitor who plays under control all the time”.
Kerr highlights Butler’s basketball IQ
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also expressed his admiration for Butler’s basketball IQ and ability to elevate the play of his teammates. “Jimmy’s IQ and his feel for the game make the game easier for everyone,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area“.
“But it especially makes the game easier for role players,” he continued. “I always felt, as a player, if I could play with stars, the game became dramatically easier. That’s what you’re seeing with Jimmy”.
A strong start in Golden State
Through two games with Golden State, Butler has delivered on both ends of the court, helping the Warriors to a 2-0 record. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and attempting an eye-catching 28 free throws.
