Warriors forward Jimmy Butler isn’t your traditional big name. Instead, the 35-year-old subtly makes his money — $110.96 million over the next two seasons, to be exact – by making the right decisions on both ends of the floor rather than leading the NBA in 30-point games or high-flying dunks.
Butler’s new coach, Steve Kerr, has been a big fan of the six-time NBA All-Star’s unassuming presence thus far. Kerr on Monday evening told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” about the two-way wing’s soundness and how it has surprised him over the Warriors’ inspired 5-1 start with Butler.
“Well, I think you have to really see him every day to appreciate his game because he’s not your traditional superstar who’s lighting it up from [3-point range] or wowing you with highlights; it’s really just the efficiency of his game,” Kerr told Mark Willard and Dan Dibley. “He’s incredibly sound fundamentally.
“He’s a great passer; he understands how to get to the foul line; he’s really, really strong; so, he gets people to have to guard him, and then it just creates a lot of opportunities for himself but also for his teammates. I love his passing. I just feel like every time he puts the ball on the floor and pivots and makes a pass, it’s not spectacular, but it just makes the game flow. And that’s exactly what this team needs.”
The Butler-in-the-Bay experiment has been exceptional thus far.
He is averaging 20 points and 9.2 free throws per game with 5.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals over 31.7 minutes. Butler’s defensive tenacity allows him to easily fit in with fellow two-way forward Draymond Green and up-and-coming Swiss Army Knife Brandin Podziemski, while Butler’s 10.8 two-point shot attempts per game have been a congenial offset to Curry and the franchise’s 3-point shooting M.O.
The formula when Butler is on the floor is simple for Kerr: trust the 14-year NBA veteran.
“We’ve always been at our best with high-IQ guys around Steph and Draymond, and that’s what I’m seeing with Jimmy,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley.
Golden State was at its best throughout its dynastic run because of the team’s collective buy-in and willingness to make unselfish decisions. Iconic names such as the recently celebrated Andre Iguodala, for example, took pride in being a piece in their gold-blooded puzzle, despite entering the first stint of his eight-year tenure two seasons removed from an All-Star nod.
Kerr already has seen parallels between Butler and Iguodala. The most obvious might be Butler’s all-around impact on the Warriors, from the win-loss column to the overall vibes in and out of the building.
“It starts with the X’s and O’s, not in terms of schemes, but just in terms of great players making the game easier on everybody else. And that’s what Jimmy is doing right now,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley. “That’s what he’s doing right now, making the game simpler for everybody, and he’s getting us easier shots and our defense has been really good. And as a result, we’ve got more confidence, more momentum.”
Easier shots. Better defense. A rejuvenated roster and fan base. The sky is the limit for the Jimmy Butler era of Warriors basketball. And it only has just begun.
“It feels right. It feels like things are clicking,” Kerr told Willard and Dibley.
