The Golden State Warriors were desperate to improve their 2024-2025 NBA Finals dreams ahead of this year’s trade deadline and swung for the fences by acquiring former Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler. The once-problematic and disgruntled star has been a breath of fresh air since vacating Florida for the Bay Area. His presence has made an immediate impact and his skills benefit Stephen Curry and the rest of the team, according to 10-year NBA veteran and current Houston Rockets analyst Ryan Hollins, who broke the situation down on BetMGM Network’s BetMGM Tonight.
“I like him a lot. They (the Warriors) definitely have more of a chance than they had before,” Hollins said on BetMGM tonight when asked about Butler’s fit with Golden State. “At the end of the day, Jimmy Butler really complements Steph. Jimmy Butler’s best attribute is getting downhill, drawing fouls and defending. It’s a piece that they needed. Obviously losing Wiggins and Kyle Anderson hurt, but I think this is a team that was already really really deep.”
“They needed a star. They needed somebody who can finish,” Hollins continued. And we’ve seen some amazing things from Jimmy Butler.”
Curry, who is averaging 24.1 points per game, is averaging 30.6 points on 51.0% shooting through eight games with Butler. Butler’s scoring average is below 17.0 points per game for the first time since 2013-14, but the Dubs are 7-1 straight-up with him and are gaining ground in the competitive Western Conference. The early results of the trade have been positive.
Golden State is still far from favored to win the Western Conference or the NBA Finals, though. The Warriors’ title odds are +1400 at BetMGM and three Western Conference teams are higher on the leaderboard. Success in March and April could help the Dubs improve that mark. Butler’s latest move could be rewarding for Warriors bettors down the line if the team continues to win at a high rate.
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