Jimmy Butler’s Miami run didn’t just end—it crashed and burned. The Heat sent him to the Warriors, pairing him with Stephen Curry, wrapping up a season full of drama, suspensions, and frustration. Miami had clearly had enough. Butler got suspended three times—twice for “conduct detrimental to the team” and once for missing a flight. But the real breaking point? January 27. He walked out of a shootaround after finding out he’d be coming off the bench.

That led to an indefinite suspension, keeping him sidelined for at least five games. With the trade deadline looming, the message was obvious: the Heat was done waiting for Butler to fall in line. It was his conduct which had raised concerns for several people. One of them being Carmelo Anthony.

Speaking on his podcast, Melo had said, “Everybody’s looking at you now like you affect their business. You are a cancer to the business, not to the team. We know you can hoop, we know you can play, but you are affecting… you are a cancer. You don’t want to become a cancer… Now the organization looks embarrassed.” 

But it looks like none of that will be of concern. Stephen Curry isn’t buying into all that. Instead, he’s welcoming Butler with open arms. “I don’t know much about the behind-the-scenes stuff that got them there,” Curry said. “That’s for their organization to kind of, you know, talk about. But I can put myself in his shoes… he’s been away from the game for a minute. He’s been frustrated for whatever reason.”

Butler’s past may have sparked concerns, but Curry believes a fresh start will bring out the best in him. “I understand there’s a lot of drama down there and who really knows what the story is,” Curry said after the match against Utah.

The four-time champion knows Butler’s talent speaks for itself. “He’s a shot creator, a finisher, and somebody that you have to take into account, no matter where he is on the floor. He plays at his own speed, he can get to the foul line, take advantage of matchups.”

Curry also acknowledged the baggage Butler brings but made it clear he expects a committed teammate. “We expect to have a motivated, committed Jimmy that’s ready to impact our team for the better. Got to work out the cakes of what it looks like, and I’m excited to get to work.”

Well, let’s hope with Butler on the roster now, the Warriors can find their grove. Because the Warriors suffered another 4th quarter collapse on Wednesday against the Jazz.

Stephen Curry could not save the Warriors alone

Despite Stephen Curry’s 32 points and seven assists, the Warriors couldn’t hang on, losing 131-128 to the Jazz. Golden State seemed to be in control after a fiery 11-0 run, led by Curry and Buddy Hield, who hit back-to-back threes to push them ahead 120-110 with 3:30 left. But the Jazz wasn’t done.

They stormed back, scoring on 10 consecutive possessions. Jordan Clarkson’s two clutch threes and Keyonte George’s go-ahead triple with 27 seconds remaining sealed the comeback. Clarkson finished with 31 points, George added 26, and Walker Kessler grabbed 18 rebounds along with 15 points.

Brandin Podziemski impressed with a career-high 29 points, his third 20-point game of the season. He’s been a bright spot for the Warriors, especially against the Jazz, averaging 21.3 points in their matchups. Hield contributed 18, but the Warriors couldn’t close out the game despite strong offensive play.

Golden State’s defense failed when it mattered most, and now they have the added challenge of fitting Butler into the lineup. Curry’s efforts were admirable, but his 12-for-31 shooting and 6-for-18 from three, along with a -21 plus/minus, showed how tough the night was. While Curry remains the offense’s backbone, the Warriors need to figure things out quickly.