Jimmy Butler initially wanted to go to Phoenix when he requested a trade from the Heat. Butler said he had nothing against the Warriors organization but was more familiar with the Suns’ core players — Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Tyus Jones, his former teammate.
Butler wasn’t worried about getting an extension — he knew he’d get that once the blockbuster deal was finalized. Butler received a two-year, $111MM extension.
“I wasn’t skeptical of coming here,” Butler told Anthony Slater of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview. “I just didn’t talk to anybody. … I knew I was going to get this contract no matter what. The people keep talking about it being about the money. How can it be about the money when any team that traded for me, what were they going to do? I just want to win. Where can I go to win?”
Butler has been impressed by the Warriors’ player-friendly approach.
“It’s all about whatever you need,” Butler said. “You would think that every organization is like that: Whatever you need to make you happy, to make you healthy and to make you go out there and compete at an extremely high level. You need your days off. You need the chef. You need the driver. You need to work out. You need the rest. You need your family to travel. How can we keep you happy? How can we get you everything you possibly need to be successful and help us get a banner and a trophy?”
We have more on the Warriors:
- Butler and Draymond Green have quickly forged a bond, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reports. While they’re two of the more volatile players in the league, Butler says there’s no concerns about them pulling the team apart. “Two winners that would do anything to win,” Butler said. “He could care less about personal success. He’s just trying to win a championship. I just want to win. I don’t give a (bleep) about nothing else. We ain’t going to never butt no (bleeping) heads. … That’s what people keep overlooking. They think like we going to get in fist fights. No we not. Because all we want to do is win.”
- Stephen Curry won’t play tonight in Miami, Slater tweets. Curry worked out on Monday and didn’t quite feel ready to return from his pelvic injury. He suffered a contusion while taking a hard fall against Toronto on Thursday. The Warriors will have two days off prior to Friday’s game in New Orleans.
- While Butler going to back to Miami is the big storyline tonight, Andrew Wiggins will also be facing his former teammates after winning a title with Golden State. His former coach is eager to see him. “We’re all thrilled to see Wiggs,” Steve Kerr said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “Wiggs is one of my favorite guys. I wish we still had [to play] Miami in the Bay. So that will have to wait until next year. But Wiggs will get an enormous standing ovation when he returns to the Bay in front of our fans, both for his contributions and just for his humanity, who he is, what kind of person he is. He’s beloved in our locker room and throughout the Bay.”
Money is the most important thing for any player.
Yes, Butler wants money.
Suns reduce payroll if they acquire Butler.
Almost all the teams won’t give Butler max by increasing payroll in early February.
Jimmy, Dray, Steph, Kuminga > your fave front 4
I don’t blame Jimmy because the script above is what players say in situations like this.
But it’s not the truth.
Jimmy Butler wanted to go to Phoenix because they were promising him the four year max contract. The Warriors were not and told him so.
But since a trade couldn’t be worked out to get him to Phoenix, Butler took the next best thing as time was winding down.., a two-year contract at max money.
That’s how this went down. Everyone forgets that Jimmy rejected the Warriors initially. It was in the sports headlines, it was on this website and it was the truth.
I don’t think he was able to sign the 4 year max because of the Over-38 rule (he would’ve turned 38 during that 4 year extension) so 2 years was the max.
OK, thank you. I didn’t realize that and the word I heard or read in the headlines was Phoenix was willing to do the four year max. Great point and thanks for noting it. Kind of blows up my entire premise, doesn’t it?
You actually made me start thinking why he didn’t get 4 years either before remembering about the age-38 rule, because he definitely would’ve asked for that.
I do agree 100% though, the Heat weren’t going to give him that max extension regardless and I’m sure PHX would’ve loved to reset how their team is structured.
I highly doubt the Dubs would’ve given him a 4-year extension either.
I heard the Miami Heat are going to have a video tribute to Jimmy tonight at some point? Am I the only one who thinks most of the arena crowd will boo his assets off during the entire video?
probably be half and half. What is funny is when they said the warriors will do a tribute to Wiggs with a standing ovation I thought everyone but Davey J would give him a ovation.
Wiggs will get a lovely standing O at Chase. I’m sure Butler will get a decent applause … I find fans that go to games are a bit more forgiving than fans who are mostly on socials. It really takes a lot to get fans to boo you … unless you are a certain individual in the state of Texas that traded away a franchise player LOL.
Looks like Jimmy received a pretty nice applause to start the game.
I will politely golf clap him for being not-bad for 1 season.
Blows my mind an NBA player asked for unlimited PTO that had nothing to do with him physically, and got it, and all the fans support it. But when anyone else does it, they are “scammers” and “frauds” or “my way or the highway” -types.
Everything bad said about Jimmy or Kawhi goes double for Wiggins.
You can complain all you want about Kerr coaching because watching this game now Kerr is getting out coached and being stubborn as usual on rotations.
Arc man, its like this EVERY game for me.
WHY wont he play 2 of TJD, Post and Loon together in the same rotation? Going small was NEVER going to beat this Heat team. Kerr is so clueless. Gary Payton II is a curse on this team, nothing to do with him personally, just that Kerr ALWAYS thinks he’s the answer to any problem and he isn’t. He’s 6’2″ and cannot guard 6’9″ guys, its such an idiotic gameplan to stick to….
what i don’t understand he can see the small ball is getting killed so why not play taller players? It looks like Green and Butler went out and partied for the last 3 days. Why doesn’t Kerr play a zone defense to shake things up when the other team is hitting 3s?
All great questions that Mr. “I loved coaching the 15-50 team, it was no pressure” has no answer for.
Quick sidenote arc is that you beat the zone defense by shooting threes.
So if the other team is hitting their threes, you have to go back to man. Zone doesn’t work. Just FYI.
I agree and thumbs up on your other points though.
A few times this year they were getting killed at the 3 point line so i did not understand go zone when you are getting killed at 3 point line. I seen other teams do it to the warriors and it worked.
Just in case it wasn’t crystal clear before: this is why Steph Curry is MVP. This team is USELESS without him.
Nope. Not crystal clear. How could Curry stop the Heat from making 68% of their 3pt shots. Curry probably could have helped the Warriors shoot better than 23%. Moody was 0 for 9.
TJD and Looney aren’t shooters. Post is ice cold tonight. Why would you play them together when the starters are shooting 20%? Do you want the score to get even worse?
Kerr insisting on playing Green at the center position. Even Green said he is not a center and doesn’t like playing there. Bam is a top big man along with Ware the warriors were very much under sized. A lot of easy baskets. Why start Payton because that gives you a very small lineup against a much bigger team.
Butler has only played 44 games so far this season
He is making $1 million per game.
From 2nd to 9th seed in the West
Every team loses
Look at the standing
Meanwhile Warriors down by 20 in Miami. Warriors don’t want to face Denver in first round. Only problem there is they probably have be in play in game. And go thru Minny.
Only team that scares the warriors in the play in is Mavs. If they are healthy with all their big men it will be tough. I don’t think they can beat the Nuggets unless they can tire out Jokic.
Don’t think Mavs will be a problem lol. Mavs didn’t play big against Warriors. They played their gm better. Teams have adjusted better today. Against perimeter teams like Warriors. They are loading up with wings who play D. When a team doesn’t shoot well. That depends on shooting. They are in trouble. Imo every team, especially every goid team. Should be able to play big or small. Or any kind of ball Offense Defense. You carry 15 players. You suit up 12. Keeping 7-8 man rotation today. Is just not smart. And just means you are out of touch. Playoffs are all about matchups. Warriors need to shoot well to do well. That’s hard to do for three series.
Moses Moody sucks. He has played one decent game in the last 4.
He was OK against the Hawks and perhaps had a normal game for a starting shooting guard.
But against the Heat, Raptors and Bucks he was absolutely horrendous. Horrible in a major way. Sucked big time.
The Moses Moody experiment needs to end right now.
They’re losing games with him in the lineup. Sit his assets down right now while you still have a chance at the five seed or six seed.
It’s go time right now and there’s no time to develop a guy who some people think has potential. That garbage is over immediately.
lmao gary, the entire team sucks without Steph, stop stalking the poor guy, he’s been awesome but he’s still basically a rookie, as is podz, post and santos – all are gunna have rough games while they are developing.