The Golden State Warriors acquired six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler just before the NBA trade deadline, but not everyone is high on the deal, including ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins. Instead, he had a hilarious take on what went down.
On Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s NBA Today, the one-time NBA champion expressed his thoughts on the deal, saying that the Warriors did not exactly get the player they wanted—or needed. He gave a hilarious analogy that sent his co-panelists cracking in a fit of laughter.
“The Warriors’ ceiling with Jimmy (Butler) right now is a first-round exit, okay? Listen. I was looking for the Warriors. I’m thinking that they’re going to go out there and, you know, go get a Beyonce or Taylor Swift. They end up getting a Nicki Minaj. And that’s OK.”
Kendrick Perkins says the Warriors wanted a Beyoncé/Taylor Swift but ended up with a Nicki Minaj 😬
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24) pic.twitter.com/7ipKaZ0yO3
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 6, 2025
On Wednesday, Jimmy Butler officially ended his six-year relationship with the Miami Heat, the team he helped reach the NBA Finals twice. The forward asked to be traded after publicly admitting he no longer enjoyed playing for the Heat, an action that caused him to be suspended multiple times along the way.
Butler was sent to the Warriors in a five-team deal that had Andrew Wiggins included in a trade package sent to the Heat. He signed a two-year, $111-million contract with Golden State through the 2026-27 season.
Jimmy Butler will see himself team up with the Dubs’ resident superstar Steph Curry in the Warriors’ bid to make a deeper run this season and in the future, The team is currently 11th in the Western Conference with a 25-26 record, and they are hoping that Butler’s arrival at the Bay Area can change the tide and get them back on the winning track.
Jimmy Butler excited to make things happen with the Warriors
Arriving in San Francisco on Thursday, Jimmy Butler has expressed his excitement to play for the Golden State Warriors and change the course of their currently middling season.
The team shared a video on its official X account featuring the newest member of their roster. In the video, Butler shared that he was about to do his physical as part of the deal that moved him from Miami to the Bay Area. The former Heat forward also said that he is looking forward to winning games with his new squad.
“Yo Dub Nation! Jimmy Butler here. Just touched down to do this physical (examination),” Butler said. “Super excited. Ready to win. Ready to work. Ready to put on a show for y’all. Let’s get it. Championship coming soon.”
From: Jimmy Butler
To: #DubNation pic.twitter.com/HtofWQbY5x— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 7, 2025
Butler played and started for 25 games with the Heat before getting traded to the Warriors. In those 25 games, he averaged 17 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
