The Whiteboard: Jimmy Butler was the missing piece in Golden State
By Lior Lampert
Always a polarizing figure, Jimmy Butler is still an incredible basketball player. He's quickly reminded us of that since kicking and screaming his way out from the Miami Heat to the Golden State Warriors.
Butler (sort of) got what he asked for. His preferred destination was the Phoenix Suns, though the 35-year-old wanted to represent any franchise other than the Heat, except for the Memphis Grizzlies. Nonetheless, Miami's ex-franchise centerpiece has wasted no time settling into the Bay Area.
Jimmy Butler was the missing piece in Golden State
Golden State desperately needed a Robin to organizational icon Stephen Curry's Batman, and Butler has been just that thus far. In his inaugural three contests with the Warriors, the latter posted averages of 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals.
However, the most important statistic since Butler's arrival to the Warriors is in the win column. Golden State is 2-1 with the former disgruntled Heat star in the lineup.
Beating the rebuilding-ish Chicago Bulls was expected for the Warriors, with or without Butler, even though they trailed by 14 at halftime. But how they did it was eye-opening, outscoring them 77-42 in the final two frames. Then, Golden State followed that up with an emphatic 125-111 road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Even after a tight loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the early returns of the Butler-Warriors partnership have been promising. The veteran wing has been as advertised for Golden State, making a tremendous and immediate two-way impact.
Offensively, Butler's been everything Golden State could've asked for and more. He's given his new team someone who can consistently attack the rim and get to the charity stripe. The six-time All-Star has attempted a whopping 34 free throws in his first three games as a Warrior, eclipsing double-digit tries twice.
Moreover, the mere threat of Butler has alleviated immense pressure off Curry in half-court sets. The NBA's greatest shooter has had more room to operate and in turn, he's gone bananas.
Curry has looked rejuvenated with Butler alongside him, scoring 32.3 points per game on dazzling .470/.400/.810 shooting splits. The defensive attention the latest Warriors addition commands, specifically in the mid-range and paint areas, opens up the floor. The duo's clashing styles of bucket-getting have allowed the Warriors to embrace an inside-out philosophy rather than the team's typical perimeter-oriented approach.
Conversely, it'd be nice to see Butler make a single long-distance jumper, something he hasn't done with the Warriors yet. But beggars can't be choosers. Nevertheless, his shortcomings from beyond the arc haven't stopped him from dominating the league, yielding less than one nightly triple across 14 seasons.
We know Butler's status as a perennial All-Defensive-caliber stopper, aligning perfectly with Golden State's group, which ranks ninth in defensive rating (112.7). He has the size, instincts, basketball IQ, athleticism and drive to guard 1-5.
Furthermore, Butler's competitive spirit is well-documented. His presence injects the Warriors with vital energy and ferocity as they try to maximize their championship window with Curry. With that in mind, Golden State's short-term future is much brighter now than before they pulled off a blockbuster five-team trade for "Playoff Jimmy."
The Warriors are in the thick of the Western Conference play-in mix. But they seem like a different beast with Butler. Golden State suddenly has the firepower to threaten virtually any opponent.
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NBA news roundup:
- Denver Nuggets star combo guard Jamal Murray dismantled the Portland Trail Blazers, scoring a career-high 55 points en route to the team's eighth straight win.
- Portland center DeAndre Ayton will be re-evaluated in four weeks due to a calf strain, the Blazers announced. But rookie big man Donovan Clingan appears ready to step up to the plate. The 2024 No. 7 overall pick amassed 17 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks in his first spot start following the news.
- New Orleans Pelicans wing Herb Jones successfully underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. This puts more fuel in the tank for Cooper Flagg in the Big Easy.
What exactly is the plan for the Toronto Raptors?
What the Toronto Raptors are doing? Does team president Masai Ujiri even know what he's trying to accomplish?
Considering how Toronto continues to operate, the answer to both questions might be no. And thanks to their acquisition and extension of forward Brandon Ingram ahead of this year's trade deadline, the situation is further muddled.
Toronto and the Atlanta Hawks were reportedly "neck-and-neck" for Ingram's services before the Pelicans accepted the Raptors' offer. That's all fine, but why did Ujiri rush to sign the one-time All-Star to a three-year, $120 million contract extension afterward?
Ingram was already in the building and unable to leave until the summer. Toronto had the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign to gauge his value. Instead, they effectively bid against no one to put pen to paper as quickly as they did before seeing him don a Raptors uniform.
Due to cap constraints, the Raptors had no chance of courting Ingram if they waited until the offseason. Still, his arrival complicates things from an on-court and monetary perspective moving forward.
The Raptors are ostensibly committed to Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl. Although they're a solid collection of talented players, Toronto will owe them roughly $156 million next season. Along with them, five other players are accounted for on the payroll, not including their projected high-end lottery pick. Add that all up, and the organization is now pushing up on the luxury tax threshold, something they haven't done since their 2019 title run.
Finances aside, the main question is how Quickley, Barnes, Ingram and Barrett will fit together on the hardwood. They're all optimized with the ball in their hands, and three thrive primarily within the arc. That isn't ideal, especially in today's era of hoops.
With concerns about the Raptors' offensive redundancy, does Ingram make any of his new teammates expendable? Per Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer ($), " ... Barrett [is] someone who has to be monitored as a potential trade candidate once the offseason arrives."
Either the Raptors are playing chess while we're all playing checkers, or we're all blind to Ujiri's vision. Regardless, Toronto's current state is quite confusing, so where they go from here will be fascinating.
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