The Golden State Warriors were one of the winners of the trade deadline when they acquired Jimmy Butler in a five-team deal. Since Butler arrived in San Francisco, the Warriors have had a winning momentum, which has helped them improve their postseason chances. Golden State is now sixth in the Western Conference with a 41-30 record.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, the star forward found out how easy it is to work and play for Steve Kerr. In the interview, Butler found out that the winning head coach has two non-negotiables: Show up on time and compete to win as part of the group.
The former Miami Heat forward shared an anecdote regarding his experiences with Kerr. On March 6, the Warriors defeated the Brooklyn Nets. Butler said he approached the former NBA star and informed him that he would be flying separately with the squad to pick up his children in Miami.
“I pulled Steve aside and said, ‘Steve, I’m finna fly home and grab my kids,’” Butler said. “He said, ‘Oh, OK. Yeah. See you back in the Bay.’ Like nothing else. Nothing.”
Jimmy Butler learned Steve Kerr's two most important rules soon after he was traded to the Warriorshttps://t.co/dW4lvGOZJa
— NBC Sports Bay Area & CA (@NBCSAuthentic) March 25, 2025
The head coach understands the value of having a family-oriented environment and has no issues with what Butler did. This can be evident in how star players like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green’s families are comfortable being with the team at certain times.
“We welcome personal quirkiness and individualism, and I think guys always feel a sense of freedom here,” Kerr said. “I told Jimmy that from Day 1. I said, ‘You be you.’”
Butler has provided terrific support for Curry and Green during his time with the Warriors. He has played 19 games, averaging 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists.
Jimmy Butler is set to play against the Miami Heat for the first time since he was traded to the Golden State Warriors
On Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors are set to play against the Heat at the Kaseya Center. Butler had significant success with Miami throughout almost six seasons. However, most will remember how he ended his tenure with the franchise, which featured a lot of suspensions.
Most fans expect him to express anger towards the organization, especially the team president, Pat Riley. However, Butler said that he doesn’t feel that way and has no hard feelings about how his tenure ended.
“I don’t got no thoughts,” Butler said. “I won’t say nothing. I got nothing to say to nobody. No hard feelings. I’m in a better place now for me. Continued success to those guys over there.”
According to Butler, he realized that he’s built lasting relationships with the people within the organization.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
