“I want my joy back… I want to play with a dominant team”. By making this statement during a presser, Jimmy Butler made it clear that his interest in playing well for the Miami Heat had drawn to an end. Therefore, it was fortunate that within a few weeks, the veteran player got his wish fulfilled by being traded to the Golden State Warriors. The last 2 games have featured a rejuvenated Jimmy Butler, as he dropped 25 and 20 points respectively to take his team to victory. Despite this, the player believes that he is yet to reach his full potential.
‘The Athletic’ reporter Anthony Slater recently interviewed Jimmy Butler for his report. In his findings, Slater highlighted how, within the first five minutes of his first Warriors game, Butler got so exhausted that he had Steve Kerr call a timeout. The other Warriors players had a good laugh over the incident over the next few days.
However, it also highlighted a concern, since elite conditioning has reportedly been amongst Butler’s strongest suits. The player himself provided a defense by stating “You gotta think, I haven’t played basketball in a month. My wind is nowhere close to where it needs to be.” In light of this, the veteran looked to get back on track and set some new goals along the way.
“I can’t wait until I’m back in basketball shape where I’m used to being. I won’t miss free throws as much. I’ll have lift on my jump shots,” said Butler. “Right now, I’m just gassed. I’m glad we’re winning. But I gotta get in better shape.”
Jimmy Butler: “My wind is nowhere close. I can’t wait until I’m back in basketball shape. I won’t miss free throws as much. I’ll have lift on my jump shots. Right now, I’m just gassed. I’m glad we’re winning. But I gotta get in better shape.”https://t.co/Pr3SA5lMNh
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 11, 2025
NBA enthusiasts would remember that after Butler made the “I want my joy back” remark in the presser, he was immediately given a 7-game suspension by the Miami Heat. The same was a culmination of the rising tension between the player and the franchise. Butler returned to play in 3 games after that but was soon handed another 2-game suspension after missing a team flight.
On January 27, Butler was suspended once again after walking out of practice. According to reports, the player had walked out after being informed that Haywood Highsmith would replace him as a starter. This suspension was indefinite.
By January end, Butler had missed 14 of Miami’s last 19 games. 9 of the last 12 had occurred due to the suspensions. These absences kept the NBA player out of practice. It caused him to develop problems which he is recovering from now. Therefore, Butler looks at the upcoming games, and team practice sessions, to prepare himself physically. For the benefit of himself, and his new team.
When it comes to free throws, Jimmy Butler has not lagged too far behind. In fact, during the recent matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, he made 12-15 (80%) of the shots. However, he did lag with his field goals, as he made only 4-12 (33.3%). Even in bad condition, Jimmy Butler fairs better than several of the NBA players out there. That is enough to give Stephen Curry some hope.
Stephen Curry defended Jimmy Butler amidst the latter being winded down: “Nothing simulates an NBA game”
Stephen Curry initially had concerns about the decision to acquire Jimmy Butler. As highlighted by Kevin O’Connor, this reluctance supposedly came from Butler’s problems with the Miami Heat and his former teams. Furthermore, acquiring the veteran did not align with Curry’s request to avoid a ‘desperate’ trade, i.e. acquiring a star player by putting the future of the Warriors at risk by exchanging the younger players. Despite this, Butler was here, and fulfilling the need to cover the Warriors’ offense. Therefore, as he faced troubles on the court, Curry was there to back him off of it.
During a postgame presser, a reporter highlighted to Curry how Butler had said that he was still “pretty winded out there”. When asked if the player’s still trying to get back, the Three-Point Leader said “He’s had an up-and-down year in terms of availability. You can work out all you want to, but nothing simulates an NBA game… That just tells you how good he is because he doesn’t feel like himself, and he’s still impacting the game.”
Jimmy Butler’s presence has already brought a much-needed change within the Warriors squad. Therefore, once he returns to his full potential, we can only imagine what progress could be seen going forward. Currently on a 26-25 win record, a fully healthy and active Jimmy Butler may be the solution to getting the Warriors to a playoff qualifying seed this season.
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