The Golden State Warriors were one of several teams to make changes at February’s trade deadline. After failing to lure Kevin Durant, the Warriors focused on Jimmy Butler, and his arrival has transformed their entire dynamic. After his first game against the Curry and Butler Warriors, LeBron James himself opened up on the trade and how the Warriors always seem to find ways to stay competitive.
“They always figure it out. I’ve been a part of them making big acquisitions to change the dynamic of their team before,” said James in a post game chat with the media. “I’ve had to go against them when they added Kevin Durant… They always add somebody that [changes] the dynamic.”
LeBron James went against Kevin Durant when he led the Warriors for three years, from 2016-17 to 2018-19, going back-to-back in his first years there (2017 and 2018) while James had to watch his Cavaliers squads lose their stars one by one, starting with Kyrie Irving in 2017.
Years later, the Warriors have cycled through many stars trying to stay relevant, and it seems LeBron is watching them strike gold yet again.
The Warriors are 20-4 since Butler joined in February, and they just keep on winning. Just a few months back, after dipping as low as 10th in the West, many fans had already counted out Golden State, before their miraculous turnaround in the spring has put them right back in championship conversation.
“Jimmy Butler is great,” said James. “He adds a toughness to them, he’s a championship DNA type of guy.”
Besides the exceptional play of Stephen Curry (averaging 24.4 points on 47.1% shooting this season), it’s the addition of Jimmy Butler that has made such a massive difference for the organization. Butler’s elite perimeter defense and ability to generate points at the free-throw line have made him a perfect fit for the Warriors, and he’s thriving this season with averages of 17.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 45.3% shooting.
Tonight, in the seven-point win over the Lakers, Butler finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists on 57.1% shooting. Despite his modest numbers, Butler’s defense and interior attack helped them capture the win, and he was making his presence felt in more ways than one.
As someone who has faced the Warriors four times in the NBA Finals, LeBron James knows more than most about how they’ve been able to recruit difference makers to the city. Back in 2013, their big signing was Andre Iguodala, who went on to play a pivotal role in their championship runs.
After that, the Warriors changed everything by adding Kevin Durant from the Oklahoma City Thunder. After Durant left in 2019 and the Warriors began to decline, they responded by adding proven veterans like Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II, who both played major roles in their most recent title win.
The 2024-25 campaign was getting pretty ugly for the Warriors until they traded for Butler and revived their season. His two-way game and constant interior attack have unlocked a whole new world of opportunities, and it’s got the Warriors up to fifth in the West.
No matter what happens between now and the end of the season, LeBron James knows better than to underestimate the Warriors. He’s seen this type of dominance before from them, and he knows what it will take to beat them if they match up in a series this postseason.
In the modern NBA, the Warriors are always lurking, and as long as Stephen Curry is active, they will always be relevant in the NBA playoff picture out West.
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