The Warriors have been on a roll ever since they acquired Jimmy Butler. They have won three of the four games with him in the lineup and are slowly creeping up the West standings. The message has been clear for Jimmy from the day he joined, “As soon as I got here, everybody was telling me to be myself, play my style of basketball and we’ll make it work. I’ll fit in just fine.” And that’s exactly what he has been doing. Sure enough, Steve Kerr has become obsessed with what he has seen from the former Heat star so far.

Detailing his assessment of Butler through his first four appearances, Kerr said, “I mean Jimmy is, he’s the real deal. I mean just a complete basketball player. Methodical you know under control all the time, plays at his own pace, never turns it over. Sees the game and then can get to the line frequently.” Sure, Jimmy doesn’t really fit the Warriors’ identity of a three-point shooting team. But he brings his own unique skillset to the table, that impacts winning.

Moreover, Jimmy’s instant success has helped the Warriors get over the heartbreak of missing out on Kevin Durant at the deadline, as Kerr continued, “Great closer you know. Not in the traditional sense where he’s gonna be Kevin Durant and make four straight mid-range jumpers, but it’s more of a complete game.” The comparison with KD is funny because the Warriors nearly brought him back to the Bay Area by pulling off a blockbuster deal with the Suns. Unfortunately, KD shut down the discussion and decided to stay in Phoenix, leaving the Warriors with the second option of trading for Butler.

Of course, Jimmy’s scoring ability is nowhere close to KD. After all, The Slim Reaper is one of only eight players to join the 30,000 points club. And his clutch scoring led the Bay Area franchise to countless wins and two championships when he was part of the team. But Butler makes up for it by frequently getting to the free-throw line, making the right pass, rebounding, and locking in defensively. “He’s a fantastic player.” Kerr added.  More importantly, Butler is finally in a good place suiting up for the Bay Area franchise and putting his Heat past in the rearview mirror.

Jimmy Butler finally “Joyful” in Golden State, building chemistry with Stephen Curry and Co.

“I want to see me get my joy back from playing basketball.” Jimmy made a shocking confession last month before he demanded a trade from the Heat. As the situation escalated, he was forced into indefinite suspension, causing major emotional turmoil. But all that is in the past now and Jimmy has begun a new chapter with the Warriors. He even confessed after his debut, “If you can’t tell, I’m very very joyful.”

Well, it’s evident from his recent performance as he is averaging 21.2 points and seven rebounds since moving to the Bay Area. Moreover, his chemistry with Stephen Curry and the rest of the squad has caught everyone by surprise, as Butler is dishing out over 5 assists per game. Even during last night’s Rockets clash, Butler looked right at home as he dropped 19 points and eight rebounds, helping his team get a much-needed win on the road. He even detailed how fun it has been suiting up for the Warriors, “There’s so much space out there on the floor too that I just get to do what I do best… Game is very very very simple here and they make it so easy for me. I just gotta do my job, put the ball in the basket or get to the free throw line.”

Of course, there is still a long way to go before the Warriors can be considered legitimate contenders as they are still ranked tenth in the West. But their recent success is a great sign for the franchise, proving that they made the right call by acquiring Butler instead of KD. Do you agree?