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Steph Curry Doesn’t Hold Back on Jimmy Butler Trade After Warriors’ Elimination

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 15, 2025 4:59 PM ET

When the Golden State Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat in February, some thought it was a risky move since Butler had bad exits from his previous teams.

The Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers and Heat all made the postseason with Butler. Miami even reached the NBA Finals twice (2020, 2023).

However, Butler had bad breakups with each team and was traded by each front office.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr admitted that it was a huge risk to trade for Butler, but the trade worked out very well. Golden State went 23-7 with Butler in the lineup and made the 2025 playoffs.

The Dubs defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round of this year's playoffs in seven games but lost to the Timberwolves in the second round in five games.

Two-time MVP Steph Curry suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 1 against the Timberwolves and missed the rest of the series. The Warriors, who won Game 1, lost four games in a row after Curry's injury.

During exit interviews with local reporters on Thursday, Curry was asked to speak about the Butler trade. The four-time champion said Butler was a seamless fit.

"There was a lot of chatter of whether it was the right trade," Curry said. "From the first game in Chicago to last night, it was a seamless fit. (We) complement each other so well. He gave us so much belief. It was a success. Now you have to build off that."

The Warriors went 22-5 when Curry and Butler played. Some believe Golden State would have beaten Minnesota had Curry not gotten hurt in Game 1.

Curry and Butler will likely train with each other this summer to develop more chemistry on the court. The Warriors will look to make a title run next season with Curry and Butler leading the way again.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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