Jimmy Butler didn’t waste any time making his mark with the Warriors, dropping 25 points in his Golden State debut Saturday night – and he hadn’t even practiced with the team yet.
The veteran star walked straight into 29 minutes of action after being traded from Miami, looking like he’d been with the squad all season.
That $111 million two-year deal? Already looking like money well spent. Butler shot an efficient 7-of-12 from the field and got to the free throw line 13 times, helping engineer a stunning comeback from 24 points down to beat the Bulls 132-111 at the United Center.
His 25-point explosion wasn’t just impressive – it was historic. It’s the most points any player has scored in their Warriors debut since Kevin Durant nearly a decade ago.
But it wasn’t the scoring that caught coach Steve Kerr’s eye.
“I’m most impressed with his passing,” Kerr said after the game. “His passing changes everything… The skill, the strength, the ability to get to the free throw line. And in the end, it goes beyond that. Just his presence out there. He’s a lion. He’s a force.”
That presence made an immediate impact on team chemistry. Draymond Green noticed a complete shift in how the team handled being down big.
“At no point was it ever like, ah, body language dropping,” Green explained. “That’s kind of what you’ve seen this year. We get down, it’s kind of like snakebitten mentality. And it was total opposite tonight, which is why we came back. No problem.”
When asked if Butler brings championship energy to the Warriors, the four-time champ didn’t hesitate.
“One-million-percent,” Green said. “We have championship pedigree. The championship swagger is what we’re trying to find again.”
The 35-year-old Butler admitted he was “extremely tired” after the game – it was only his sixth time on the court since December 20.
“Like somebody that had a month off,” Butler said with a laugh. “Not that I wanted a month off, but I got going a little bit. I got to do a ton more conditioning, but I’ll get it back. It’s only a matter of time.”
