How Has a 36-Year-Old Forward Changed Golden State’s Trajectory?
It has been nearly eight months since the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler in a somewhat surprising mid-season trade. Well, let’s rephrase that. The move itself shouldn’t have shocked many fans, because the Warriors had clearly capped off their ceiling. If 25-26 and tenth in the West is all a team can do, they can’t possibly compete in the playoffs. Knowing that Stephen Curry’s time nears its finish, Golden State had to make a move.
My personal doubts, before Butler even arrived at the Bay, had to do with the stylistic fit. The Warriors needed an athletic wing, someone along the archetype of Jonathan Kuminga, who nursed an ankle sprain for a good chunk of the year. With Butler’s age a factor, proved by a career low in minutes per game in Miami, 30.6, I assumed that Golden State would look for a more youthful trade target. I would also characterize Butler as a player who slows down the tempo, operating at his best within a set. His current team has prided itself on a completely different style, where they like to push the ball in transition and look for quick offense.
Despite these theoretical differences, this fact remains: this team needed a spark to unlock a new level, and that’s exactly what they got. They went for experience and attributes that don’t show up in the statsheet. If I could use a word to describe Butler’s game, it would be grit. He has always had the intangibles to seamlessly join a new team, but also to be a leader in whichever environment he stepped into.
From the first impression of this new-look squad, the difference in styles may actually turn out in favor of Golden State. I believe that the Warriors were at times predictable and one-sided last year before trading for Butler. Often, it seemed as though the team would throw Curry the ball and ask him to create a shot, whether it’s for himself or a teammate. Opposing defenses would focus most of their efforts on guarding the future Hall of Famer, but they wouldn’t pay the price from everyone else.
Fast forward to today, having Curry and Butler on the court at once adds the versatility that makes the Warriors dangerous. The team can now do almost everything offensively, except dishing the ball to a big center and getting points from the low post. Defensively, there’s not much to discuss. Golden State turned from a below-average defense to one of the league’s best, with Butler having raised both intensity and completeness. At the end of the day, basketball is a team sport, and a team cannot win with the efforts of just one player. This can no longer be considered a one-dimensional team, and their goal of making another deep playoff run is now much more plausible.
