‘We are going to bring hell’: Warriors embrace the full Jimmy Butler -experience

Daymond Green ran on the field for the Golden State Warriors‘ Games against Los Angeles Lakers Thursday when he discovered a reporter interviewing Jimmy Butler in the hallway.

Green stopped. He gave Butler a warm hug and flashed a broad laugh. Then he started again.

“People like that, man, that’s the one you want to go to war with,” Butler told Fox Sports, as Green flew by. “F — King Dogs that give no curse and does something it takes to win.”

Butler seemed really excited to be at Warriors one day after Miami traded him, ending a month long standoff between him and the warmth that included him suspended three times. He is expected to debut in Warriors on Saturday against Chicago.

Green is just as excited about the partnership. He was consulted by Warriors’ General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. About Warriors who pursued Butler, and gave his blessing without hesitation.

“Everyone is afraid of guys who have some sts for them,” Green told Fox Sports. “But guys who don’t have st to them won’t win.”

Butler is a controversial superstar.

He led the heat to two NBA final appearances and made a name for himself by shining on the biggest scenes and serving moniker “Playoff Jimmy.” But he is also known for his time with Chicago, Minnesota, Philadelphia and most recently Miami, ending with varying degrees of drama.

Warriors landed Butler after a failed attempt to bring Phoenix Suns Super Star Kevin Durant back, who won two championships with Golden State in 2017 and 2018. Durant, reportedly not interested in a reunion after leaving in free agency in 2019 in the middle In rising tensions. When Green was asked if he was surprised by Durant’s decision, he said to Fox Sports, “No, not at all. Make all that meaning in the world.”

In connection with the trade in Miami, Butler accepted a two-year extension of $ 111 million throughout the 2026-27 season, and he will reject his $ 52 million option next season.

Butler joins a Warriors team that won four titles in eight years from 2015-2022, but has been fighting since and was removed in the second round of the final game in 2023 and is missing the post-season last year.

Currently, Warriors are in 11th place in the western conference with a record of 25-26.

Butler would have a new start. And Warriors would have another superstar along with 36-year-old Steph Curry to make sure the end of Curry’s prime would not be spread.

Warriors believe this is their chance of being big again.

Curry called Butler a winner and added, “When the bet gets louder, he rises to the occasion.” Added Warriors -Trainer Steve Kerr: “I think he fits right in.”

Green did not hesitate when asked if he thinks Butler could do Warriors -the champions.

“I think so,” Green told Fox Sports. “We obviously have to put together it and find out. But I definitely think this puts us in violation of competing at the highest level – 1,000 percent. You have a chance to get one of the 20 Best players in NBA.

This is for sure: No team would have a busy meeting Curry, Green and Butler in a seven-game playoff series.

“We want to bring hell to many people,” Butler told Fox Sports.

***

This season there were rumblings that Butler did not show enough efforts with the heat at times.

It is an interesting point on the controversy for a player whose most sustained picture is when he was falling over the scorer’s table in exhaustion after match 5 in the 2020 NBA final. He had just poured his heart out with a 35-point, 12-boundary, 11-assisted performance in a win over Lakers.

At that moment he was the epitome of effort.

Butler is unable to find out when things started to reveal between him and the heat.

“I don’t know exactly what happened, but it happened,” Butler told Fox Sports. “I’m so far past it. I’ve been past it for some time. I know what was going on. I know what they were doing. But the one thing you can’t control is the way someone else looks at you .

“(Warriors) see me as a guy with high value here. They think I can help them win. So that’s what I’m stuck on. That’s what I want to do.”

Butler obviously didn’t feel appreciated anymore in Miami.

The first hint of a crack bred his head last season when team president Pat Riley expressed uncertainty in May about giving Butler a contract extension this season.

Butler felt undoubtedly respected by it. He scored 40 points eight times in the mail season. He took the eighth seed heat to the final in 2023, including having a 56-point masterpiece against Milwaukee in Game 4 in their first round series.

He felt he was serving a lucrative nod that was in line with his production.

At that time, Riley called the expansion a “big decision” for “someone who won’t be there and available every single night.” Butler had missed at least 18 games each season since joining the team in 2019, sitting out due to injuries, rest and various other reasons.

Riley also avoided Butler and said in a social media interview last fall season that the heat would have beaten Boston in their first round series if he hadn’t been injured. “If you’re not on the field playing … keep your mouth shut,” Riley said.

Things continued to sour this season and culminated with butler who demanded trade. He felt underestimated and his role at the offensive end had dramatically fallen.

He average 17.0 points on 10.5 field target attempts this season, his fewest grades in both categories since his third year in the league in 2013-14. His use rate of 21.6 was also his lowest since his third season, and well behind the team’s two other stars, Tyler herro (27.6) and BAM Adebayo (23.1).

Still, butler a career mound shot 54% off the field.

Tensions peaked in early January when Butler said he lost his joy on the field after a game against Indiana. When asked if he could regain it with the heat, he added, “probably not.”

One day later, the heat suspended him in seven matches for “behavior harmful to the team.” He returned in three games before being suspended again after he missed a team flight. His third suspension came after he left practice early after learning that he would come from the bench.

This time the suspension was indefinite.

When asked why he lost his joy, Butler did not hesitate.

“Not being able to be the player I know, I’m able to be honest,” Butler told Fox Sports. “My time came, and my time was going there. It’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with it. I have a love for the city of Miami. We’ve done a lot of good things. They’ve helped me to be the player who i is today, so I am very grateful.

***

There are two versions of Butler.

When he is happy, he is the hardest working player on the field who is able to carry a franchise on his shoulders on his own.

When he is unhappy, he is known for making life very uncomfortable for his franchise.

At first it seemed that he was the perfect fit in Miami. But eventually he clashed with the well -documented heat culture. It was established by Riley’s iron fist and basically includes the selflessness and discipline.

Butler is known for his discipline, but he also likes to do things in his own way.

Now there are questions about how he fits Warriors who have their own distinct culture, guided by a combination of Curry’s joy and Green’s fire.

Butler can be mercury and difficult – and he is definitely eccentric. He made his own coffee in the NBA bubble and sold it to players for $ 20 per day. Cup, a fun effort for a player earning over $ 34 million at the time.

Then, on the media day in September 2023, he appeared with an emo look to troll journalists, rocking straight hair, eyebrow piercings, black lipstick and black nail polish.

On and off the field, Butler is unique. He is a character, but he is also vocals and blunt, not afraid to call leaders, coaches and teammates, a role typically assumed by Green on Warriors.

When Butler was in Chicago, he shouted the new coach Fred Hoiberg, saying, “You had to keep everyone in charge.” In Minnesota he told manager Scott Layden, “You f – King need me, Scott. You can’t win without me.” In Philadelphia he challenged the hierarchy of the “big three.” And in Miami, he made it clear that he opposed the team that the team did not get tall profiled stars to join him, such as Damian Lillard.

When Butler feels weakened or that around him do not match his intensity, things tend to go wrong very quickly.

But Warriors are not worried about his fit.

“You choose your poison, not,” Green told Fox Sports. “Oh, Jimmy might be a little tough? Because he wants to win? I choose to deal with the hard (rather) than to deal with a guy who just wants to exist and show up and walk around their day. He will do whatever takes to win.

Curry is not worriedly worried.

“He is a dog, he is a winner, and just the idea that he has a lot to prove with the new situation,” Curry said. “He is excited to help us and we are happy to help him. He has a certain style it right now I think we are missing in the sense that he is able to be able to get to the line, check semi -course cases. “

As for Butler, he just looks forward to starting fresh.

He missed 19 by Miami’s last 24 games, including 14 of the last 17 due to suspension, which cost him $ 500,000 per year. Game. He has not played since January 21 and spent his time away from the team, training and with his family.

Butler claims he was not bothered by all the noise around him in the last few months.

“I don’t care,” Butler told Fox Sports. “I don’t care that people are talking. That’s what people are going to do. When they don’t know what is really going on, you have to talk. You have to speculate and you have to guess. I’m just glad I get An opportunity to play basketball again.

As for Warriors, they hope this step will put them on top of the league again.

“The best version of myself is what this team needs,” Butler told Fox Sports. “And that’s what I get.”

He has his joy left.

And he is ready to remind everyone of who Jimmy Butler is again.

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA author of Fox Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, Los Angeles Times, Bay Area News Group and San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @Melissarohlin.

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