Impact of Jimmy Butler trade on NBA title odds

Oddsmakers believe the Warriors moved closer to an NBA championship with the acquisition of Jimmy Butler, but still don't view them as a legitimate threat to win it all in June.

Per BetMGM, the Warriors (+6600) had the 13th-shortest odds to win the title before Wednesday's blockbuster trade. With Butler's acquisition, they moved to +4000, tied 10th with the Rockets. 

While they're still not in the stratosphere as co-title favorites Celtics (+225) and Thunder (+225), or even a level below with the Cavaliers (+800), Knicks (+1200), Lakers (+1200) or Nuggets (+1400), they are now in the same neighborhood as the Bucks (+2800), Grizzlies (+2800) and Clippers (+3000). ESPNBet also has the Warriors (+3300), tied for the ninth-shortest odds with the Mavericks. 

It's clear that oddsmakers do not believe Butler is the missing piece to help the Warriors return to relevancy after they missed the playoffs last season. Butler, 35, is averaging his fewest points per game (17.0) since his third season with the Bulls, and is averaging his fewest touches per game since his first year in Minnesota. Butler's recent injury history has also made him an unreliable player in the eyes of many. The veteran wing hasn't played even 65 games since the 2018-19 season.

After the Warriors' 131-128 loss to the Jazz on Wednesday, Stephen Curry said he expects a "committed Jimmy" to arrive in San Francisco after his ugly split with the Heat. 

"We know who Jimmy is. Being in two Finals, he's a winner," Curry said. "I understand there's a lot of drama down there [in Miami], and who really knows what the story is. We expect to have a motivated, committed Jimmy that's ready to impact our team for the better."