So far, so good for the Golden State Warriors since the Jimmy Butler era started. Two games in, the Warriors are 2-0. The championship parade isn’t necessarily back on yet, but it shouldn’t be ruled out.
Regardless, it’s taken Butler no time at all to prove to Golden State why they were right to trade for him when they had the chance. Even at 35, when Butler is in a good space and motivated, he fills so many holes for the Warriors. It’s fair to suggest that he’s the best player Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have played with in the Bay since Kevin Durant.
Their promising play thus far has overshadowed the fact that Butler originally turned the Warriors down when they first tried to get him.
Why Did Jimmy Butler Initially Reject the Golden State Warriors?
It’s easy to forget this, but the Warriors had tried to get Butler days before they managed to finalize a deal with the Miami Heat. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Butler had personally communicated to the Warriors that he had no interest in signing an extension with them, thus putting trade talks on hold.
The Heat’s Jimmy Butler has communicated to the Warriors that he’s unwilling to sign an extension there & therefore trade talks to send him to Golden State have ended for now, sources told ESPN.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) February 3, 2025
This led to Golden State going after a reunion with Durant, who also told them no, thus shifting their focus back to Butler. Butler apparently changed his mind as, minutes after they acquired him, he agreed to an extension.
So that leaves two questions: First, why did Butler say no? Secondly, what changed his mind about the Warriors?
It’s never been confirmed what Butler’s initial issue with the Warriors was in all of this. It was days before the deadline, so he may have thought he had a chance at a bigger role and better money on a different team.
Over time, he may have realized that, regardless of what his role would be on his next team, his market wasn’t really that strong to begin with, which put his chances of the lucrative extension he wanted in real jeopardy. That would have been bad, given that was the whole reason why he drew out his trade request for as long as he did with the Heat.
He also may have realized how desperate the Warriors truly were that they were willing to go that extra mile to get him on the team by giving him the money he wanted. It was a bit of an overpay, but Butler’s already proven in two games why he’s worth taking that kind of risk. In the end, it could be a major win-win for all parties involved.
The Warriors are clearly willing to look past Butler’s hesitancy to stick with them long-term, and if they get another title out of it with him onboard, they couldn’t care less. Still, it’s rather befuddling that Butler pulled a 180 on them in such a short time, knowing the short windows both he and Golden State have remaining in the NBA.
