After a long saga, the Miami Heat finally traded Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors ahead of last month’s trade deadline. Though it was mostly unknown why Butler wanted to move on from the Heat after six years, he made it clear he was not happy in Miami anymore. Recently, Andscape’s Marc J. Spears spoke with Butler and provided some insight into the trade that sent him to Golden State.
According to Spears, Butler wanted a trade away from Miami because he wanted to feel more valued.
“Jimmy Butler wanted to be traded because he felt the Heat were moving in a direction without him in mind and he wanted to be more valued, sources said. The four-time NBA All-Star ended up asking for a trade from the Heat in his seventh season with the franchise,” Spears wrote.
In parts of six seasons with the Heat, Butler averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.7 steals. Additionally, he was a two-time All-Star and led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances during his tenure there.
New Motivation for Jimmy Butler Trade from Miami Heat Revealed
Jimmy Butler Just Wants to Win
Before acquiring Butler, the Warriors were in a bit of a rut. At the time of the trade, the Warriors were 25-26 and owned the No. 10 seed in the West. Despite a hot start to the season, it looked like the Warriors were in serious danger of missing the playoffs. However, they are 12-1 in the 13 games Butler has played for the team. While speaking with Spears, Butler made it clear that his main goal is to bring another championship to Golden State.
“When I walked in, I was like, ‘Yo, look man, I’m only here to win,’” Butler told Andscape. “’I don’t care about nothing else. I don’t care about points…shots…none of that. I’m only here to win and I’ve always only been places to win. So, whatever y’all need me to do, y’all let me know.”
“Show me some grace because I’m new until I get the hang of this thing. But the one thing about everything is my energy is at an all-time high because I’m here and ain’t s— changed. The goal is still remaining the same and that’s winning a championship,” Butler said.
Jimmy Butler Has Fans in Golden State
It is clear that Butler has already made an impact in both on and off the court. Recently, head coach Steve Kerr compared Butler to Andre Iguodala, who won a Finals MVP with the Warriors.
“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.
Butler still has a long way to go to establish himself in Warriors history. However, at this rate, it is looking pretty good for him and the team.
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