“Welcome to the Wild Wild West,” an excited Jimmy Butler announced his arrival to the Bay Area with this tweet soon after the Heat traded him. Initially, it looked like the deal would never happen as Jimmy reportedly did not want to sign an extension with the Warriors. And there was also this little concern between Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr about Butler’s personality fit in their locker room. But it’s time for Kerr to come to terms with reality. Even though he is heartbroken due to Andrew Wiggins’ departure, the head coach has already begun planning a future with Butler.

Addressing how the Warriors’ offense will change with Jimmy in the lineup, Kerr said, “I mean, we will keep it pretty simple. He’s a great player. All great players, they figure out how to play with other great players. So, I’m not too worried about him fitting in with his teammates.”

The plan is to simplify the actions that Kerr already runs so that Butler can settle in with the Bay Area style of basketball. “I don’t think that will be too big of a challenge,” he added confidently.

However, Kerr did acknowledge that he needs to figure out the combinations he will put on the floor with the veteran member. As expected, Butler will be the main guy when Steph is resting. “He’ll for sure play the non-Steph minutes so we can run our offense through him once Steph’s on the bench. But we’ve got a lot of candidates to put next to him and we’ve gotta figure out those rotations,” Coach Kerr rightly noted.

While the head coach’s plan is in motion following the trade, the Warriors front office has already burdened Butler with massive expectations. Turns out, the six-time All-Star will no longer wear the number he used to wear in Miami and will switch to No. 10 instead. Obviously, his Heat No. 22 was worn by Wiggins in Golden State for six years. But Jimmy’s new number is not something out of the blue.

Turns out, GM Mike Dunleavy donned the Number 10 jersey as a Bay Area rookie, and had a message for Butler while transferring it to him, “Get it in the rafters.”

Of course, Jimmy and Dunleavy were teammates in Chicago for three years and share a great bond. Well, the only way Butler could get number 10 in the rafters is if he leads the Warriors to a championship. And Steve Kerr is excited to begin that journey with him.

Andrew Wiggins’ departure stings but Steve Kerr is looking forward to Jimmy Butler team up

“He’s one of my favorite players that I’ve coached… Without him, we don’t win the 2022 title. Everything he brought every day, his smile, his joy, his laughter… He’s a great person. I’m going to miss him.” No, this wasn’t a response to Wiggins’ retirement announcement. If that were the case, I’m pretty sure the loss wouldn’t have stung as much as it does now.

This was something worse. The next time the Dubs meet Wiggs, it will be as opponents. And that alone was enough to make Kerr very emotional. Well, it’s understandable considering how important Wiggins was to the team’s success. But it’s time for the 9x champ to begin a new era with Jimmy Butler.

It’s easier said than done because, as it turns out, Coach Kerr isn’t exactly familiar with Jimmy nor has he interacted with him much. However, a little detail that might make the transition smoother is the fact that the head coach understands what the ex-Heat superstar brings to the table.

“I know from watching him that he’s a big-time pressure player, postseason player. So that would fit well in our locker room,” the Warriors’ HC promptly noted. Of course, Butler is one of the few players who performs even better when the stakes are high. He averages 21.3 points and over six rebounds in the playoffs. Moreover, he has led his team to the NBA Finals twice.

Despite initial reported concerns, Kerr is hyped about having Jimmy on his squad. “I think when you put a group of guys like that together, there’s gonna be a belief, there’s gonna be confidence that comes with that. So, I’m excited to see what that looks like.”

Well, the Bay Area franchise is currently 11th in the West and struggling to stay in the playoff race. But Jimmy’s addition could boost them back to contention if he plays like the All-Star he is. “I’m excited to meet him, to get to know him and for him to be part of the team,” Kerr remarked.

We (and Steve) will find out how well Jimmy fits with his new team as he is expected to make his Warriors debut this Saturday against the Bulls. Are you excited?