“I mean the plan was to try to position ourselves to be better than we were, and have a legitimate chance to be relevant at the top of the West. We have a lot of work to do” said Stephen Curry, after Jimmy Butler was acquired by the Golden State Warriors. Despite Curry’s initial request to not get into a ‘desperate’ trade by acquiring a veteran at the expense of younger players, the front office grabbed the former Heat star before anyone else could.

In light of this, the Three-Point leader wanted to see some results. The recent Warriors-Bulls matchup proved the potential of the new Bay Area squad. On top of that, it highlighted how Curry and Butler complement each other on the court.

During the post-game presser, Stephen Curry praised Butler’s aspect to shoot efficiently from inside the paint. After all, if one thing is known about Stephen Curry and Co, they love shooting those 3-pointers. He especially called it “funny” that the small forward was the opposite of him, since he shot only 1 three-pointer, but dominated on the paint and the free-throw line.

This dynamic compliments one another well, as Curry highlighted “Guys working around this is has a potential to be really, really fun”. When Butler was asked about his thoughts on Curry’s remarks, he couldn’t help but agree with the assessment.

“You know what they say. Opposites attract in a lot of ways in life, and I don’t think I can be a better compliment to him, and vice versa, in the sense that they are not leaving him, ever” said Butler. “Probably two people would never leave him. So, there is so much place for everybody else. And, I get the easy job, you know. I’m playing 1 on 1, or I’m playing with so much space. And then, everybody’s looking for him, everybody is looking to get him open. And at the same time, he’s looking for everybody else. So, it’s so great to play with somebody like that.”

Fortune did not initially favor the Warriors, as the Bulls put them under a 24-point deficit. Soon, the Bay Area squad recovered, thanks to Curry taking the lead with his 34 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler came out as the team’s 2 highest scorer with 25 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists.

As Curry highlighted, the veteran small forward went 7-12 (58.3%) with his field goals, 0-1 (0.0%) with his three-pointers, and 11-13 (84.6%) with his free throws. The performance even brought out a memorable reaction from Steve Kerr, who stated “He’s a lion out there”.

Jimmy Butler has played just one game. However, his recent performance might ease some Bay Area fans who questioned his acquisition benefit. At the same time, it might affect those who had the chance to head to the Warriors earlier but passed on.

Which 3 NBA stars might regret rejecting a Warriors acquisition offer after Jimmy Butler’s confession?

Back in 2023, the Lakers opened up trade negotiations with the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, the need for LeBron James and co was for a player who could give the team a reliable backcourt defender and shooter. Therefore, instead of Jimmy Butler, the Lakers chose Gabe Vincent. After all, the team reportedly hoped that Vincent’s shooting performance, as seen in the 2023 playoffs, would be maintained. Unfortunately, that did not happen, with Bleacher Report calling Vincent’s acquisition “a huge disappointment”.

LeBron James could have rectified things for himself by going to the Golden State Warriors himself. NBA reporter Eric Pincus proposed a trade. The same would send LeBron James, Bronny James, Cam Reddish, and Christian Wood to the Bay Area. In return, the Lakers would get Jonathan Kuminga, Dennis Schröder, Kevon Looney, Kyle Anderson, Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, and a 2025 first-round pick.

Given Curry and LeBron’s chemistry, a team-up would have made the Warriors unstoppable. Back in December 2024, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained the Warriors would “definitely monitor” James’ status in the unlikely event he desires a trade. Unfortunately, he didn’t. And now, the Bay Area has found their new scorer in Jimmy Butler.

Does anyone still remember the era of the ‘Splash Brothers’? Well, the Warriors’ poor win record would not have happened if they were still together. Though no report confirms it, the Warriors could have attempted to acquire Klay Thompson back before the February deadline. However, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison’s mindset was heading elsewhere. A few weeks after Swartz’s report, the NBA world was shook after the Mavs cut ties with Luka Doncic!

According to reports, the trade happened after Harrison alluded to doubts about Doncic signing a five-year extension in Dallas that would have left him the richest player in league history. Therefore, criticism against the GM only increased after the Warriors signed Butler to a 2-year, $121 million contract extension. If things had gone another way, Klay Thompson would have been reunited with his former team.

As the Golden State Warriors searched for a major offensive player, one name propped up. It was that of Kevin Durant! The veteran had played with the Warriors before, with the tenure having its ups and downs. While the ‘Slim Reaper’ won both his championships in the Bay Area, his issues with Draymond Green complicated his stay. Almost six years later, any issues between Durant and the Warriors’ power forward would have been forgotten. Therefore, what better time than now to get Durant back?

As Anthony Slater reported, Stephen Curry talked with the Phoenix Suns player about the trade situation. Unfortunately, whatever was discussed between the duo “convinced him a reunion was extremely unlikely, no matter how much the Golden State Warriors ownership group and front office collectively “underestimated” Durant’s coldness toward a return, as one team source put it.” In the end, the Warriors pivoted and took Jimmy Butler instead.

LeBron James, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant. 3 players who could have had what Jimmy Butler has now. Unfortunately, the same was too good to be true. Now, it remains to be seen how far the former Heat player can take the Bay Area.