When Jimmy Butler landed in the Bay Area last month, the Golden State Warriors were sitting in the middle of the Western Conference pack, teetering between relevance and a rebuild. Now? They’ve won 16 of their last 20 games, are in sixth place, and look like a team nobody wants to face in the playoffs.
The numbers back it up-but there’s also something deeper happening in San Francisco. It’s not just the wins. It’s the vibe.
While Butler’s arrival has clearly sparked something on the court, it’s his off-court perspective that’s making headlines this week. In a moment of honesty not often seen from the ultra-competitive forward, Butler opened up about what it’s been like playing alongside Stephen Curry-and he didn’t hold back.
“He is the man. He is everything everybody says of him,” Butler said postgame after a recent win. “More than anything, he’s just nice. He’s just genuinely a good human being. To everybody. It’s very, very, very refreshing. Because he doesn’t have to be that way.”
Steph’s Still Got It-And Then Some
Curry may not be lighting up the scoreboard at his 2016 MVP levels, but he’s been on a tear since Butler joined the squad. His season averages-24.2 points per game on 44.7% shooting-don’t tell the whole story. Since the trade, he’s jumped to 27.5 points a night while shooting 48.1% from the field and 40.7% from deep, per Basketball Reference.
Butler’s contributions aren’t far behind. With averages of 17.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 6.1 boards per game, he’s doing a little of everything-and clearly elevating the team’s energy.
Head coach Steve Kerr told The Athletic that the Butler-Curry pairing has brought “a balance of edge and calm” to the locker room. That’s not easy to achieve, especially on a team with championship pedigree and the weight of expectations.
The chemistry is real-and it’s showing on the scoreboard and in the smiles.
With Butler locked in through the 2026-27 season and Curry still playing at an elite level, the Warriors’ window isn’t closed. It might actually just be reopening.
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