SI

Steve Kerr Had Fierce Three-Word Description of Jimmy Butler After Warriors Debut

Butler had 25 points while helping Golden State surmount a 24-point deficit in his first game in uniform.

Liam McKeone

Jimmy Butler was traded by the Heat to the Dubs at the trade deadline
Jimmy Butler was traded by the Heat to the Dubs at the trade deadline / David Banks-Imagn Images
In this story:

Jimmy Butler's tenure with the Golden State Warriors started off with quite the bang on Saturday night.

A few days after the disgruntled star forward was traded by the Miami Heat, Butler donned a Warriors uniform for the first time against the Chicago Bulls, complete with a nice nod to his father on the anniversary of his death. He recorded 25 points and four assists, and beyond the numers Butler was instrumental in helping the Warriors crawl out of a huge hole. Golden State fell behind by 24 points at one point to the Bulls in Chicago, but Steph Curry magic and Butler drawing a handful of timely fouls got the Dubs back in the game and then a win.

Speaking afterwards to assembled media Warriors head coach Steve Kerr offered a fierce three-word description of Butler after getting to coach him up close for the first time: "He's a lion."

"I'm most impressed with his passing," Kerr said, per ESPN. "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."

There are numerous Eastern Conference teams who would agree after Butler helped the Heat to a pair of NBA Finals appearances in five seasons. One has to be a lion to drag an eighth-seeded team to the championship round, as Butler did back in 2023.

The Warriors hope Butler can show more of that down the stretch of this season. He was acquired and given a massive extension to push Golden State deep into the playoffs as an ideal complement to Curry's various strengths. They're off to a good start, but the important games have yet to come.

More of the Latest Around the NBA

Published
Liam McKeone
LIAM MCKEONE

Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead. In addition to his work as a writer, he has hosted the Press Pass Podcast covering sports media and The Big Stream covering pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University, he is always up for a good debate and enjoys loudly arguing about sports, rap music, books and video games. McKeone has been a member of the National Sports Media Association since 2020.

Home/NBA