Butler Winds Up a Warrior, 5 Questions That Need to be Answered

Jimmy Butler has been traded to the Golden State Warriors, which will nearly certainly spark another blazing fire from Butler. Why? Because the Warriors are a low seed team, and torching teams is Butler's bread and butter. However, him signing there isn’t what I’ll personally be watching. What’s crossing my mind is if he’ll even play, or just torch them just like he’s acted in Miami. However, the Warriors will need to play their odds. Watching as their once dynasty is crumbling from age, Golden State will need a dawg that can work everywhere on the court, and a secondary option for Curry. Is Miami better without Butler? How will Butler respond? Are The Warriors going to rise in the ranks with this addition? Will Butler re-enact his Chicago Bulls mentality? If not, is it still worth it for the Warriors? It all gives me a headache to think about, but let’s talk about the five most important questions anyways. Is Miami Better After The Butler Trade? The Miami Heat statistically won 10% more games when Butler played over his career in Miami, but Jimmy Butler generated a somewhat hostile environment. In addition to an unfriendly locker room, Butler is prone to injuries, and consistently misses large chunks of the season. While Andrew Wiggins isn’t as talented of a player as Butler is, the chemistry will increase when they don’t have a player who walks out on practice. I think while Miami isn’t as talented without Butler, this trade makes sense for team morale. Can Butler Help Dig the Warriors out of This Hole? The Warriors are currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference, a sudden change after a championship run in the 2021-22 season. After struggles in the last two seasons, the Warriors started losing crucial aspects of their roster, starting with Jordan Poole to the Wizards, losing CP3 in free agency, and finally, trading away Klay Thompson. I personally don’t think Butler can fill the void of Thompson, but I do think he’ll help the Warriors rise in the ranks to a low-seed in the play-offs. Clash of the Titans? How Will Butler and Draymond Gel? Jimmy Butler is a workhorse. He is scrappy, physical, intense, and never gives up. Draymond Green is the exact same way. Draymond has the second most ejections of all time with 22, only sitting behind Rasheed Wallace. He has also been suspended from the league six times. While having one hard-nosed competitor in your locker room can be good, having multiple may create tension. I think Butler and Draymond would dominate if they can cooperate, but there is a high probability that these two forwards develop beef, and the Warrior’s locker room goes up in flames. Will We See Jimmy Butler’s Mamba Mentality Once Again? A five time All-Defensive player, Butler is the closest thing the modern game has to Kobe Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality.” However, Butler’s drive has slowly faded, and his reputation of a hard-worker flipped during his time in Miami. Butler was consistently injured and stayed on the side-line, and never seemed to care until the play-offs came around. Pairing Butler with Curry and Draymond may relight the flame. The problem is, Butler only tries when he cares, and the only thing he seems to care about is securing a title before his career comes to an end. If the Warrior’s can make the jump to contenders, suddenly Jimmy Butler may lock in. How Long Will Butler Stay Content? It’s hard to know, but Butler signed a two year deal with Golden State. If the Warriors are still riding a low play-in seed, my prediction is that Butler will demonstrate his magic trick again, and torch them until he makes them so miserable that they have to get rid of him. However, if Jimmy does it again, it’s hard to know if any team will sign him, or if his career will dissipate. Comment your opinions down below!