In one month with the Golden State Warriors, Jimmy Butler has already made an impact on Steve Kerr‘s team. Since landing Butler, the Warriors are 9-2 (9-1 in games he plays in). After it looked like the Warriors were in serious danger of missing the playoffs, they are now 34-28 and own the No. 6 seed in the West. Much of this has to do with Butler’s arrival, who has been a great addition for the team. Recently, Kerr compared the Marquette alum to a player Warriors fans are already very familiar with–Andre Iguodala.
Steve Kerr said the Warriors are developing a “real identity.”
What is it?
“Two-way team. Last 10 games, I think we are second in both offense and defense. Small sample size, but that’s when we got Jimmy.” pic.twitter.com/wSMP41Gu5A
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 5, 2025
“The last 10 games, we’re second in both offense and defense. Obviously a small sample size, but that’s when we got Jimmy. So, things have clearly turned with him. He’s a great complement to what already do…What he’s adding is that maturity and poise. We’ve made that Andre comparison. He’s not the exact same player as Andre Igoudala, but he has the same influence. He’s constantly reading what’s happening and calming us down and creating good possessions at both ends. ” Kerr said.
Iguodala spent 19 seasons in the NBA but may be best known for his Warriors tenure. The Illinois native won four championships with Golden State and won the Finals MVP award in 2015. Furthermore, he was regularly a Sixth Man of the Year candidate while with the Warriors.
Steve Kerr Compares Jimmy Butler to Former Finals MVP Andre Iguodala
Jimmy Butler Is Enjoying Golden State
After the trade, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Butler is enjoying his time with the Warriors more than he had for any other team he played for upon his arrival. According to Charania, Butler is “going above and beyond to ingratiate himself with the Warriors.”
“He does feel like this organization is better than any other organization he’s been a part of. But I’m telling you it’s different this time. I haven’t sensed the same feeling he’s had when he went to Philly, when he went to Miami. This is different for Jimmy Butler going to Golden State. He’s staying late for shootarounds… staying late for practices… spending so much time in the training room, the meal room. He’s going above and beyond to ingratiate himself with the Warriors right now.”
It is fair to assume this feeling is mutual as Butler has been great for the Warriors. In 10 games with the team, he is averaging 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals. He is making an impact on both sides of the ball and is helping the team regain its title contender label.
The Last Word
While the Warriors still have a long way to go to be legitimate title contenders this season, the start of the Butler era has gone as well as it could have. The Warriors will be a team to keep an eye on as the regular season approaches its end.
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