Why is Jimmy Butler 'Happy' with Warriors?

During that stretch, Golden State increased its free-throw volume and beat two playoff teams, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Houston Rockets. More importantly, though, Butler found the joy of which he claims to have lost with the Miami Heat. 

Butler's tenure with Miami ended in infamy. Despite leading the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, the Miami franchise didn't offer him the extension the Texas native figured he'd earned for his service. 

Although it's unclear if the grass is greener with the Warriors, for now, Butler is undeniably in a better mental state now that he's Curry's teammate. 

During an interview with Virgin Radio, Butler revealed why he's all smiles since the trade. 

"I'm so happy over there," Butler said. "[Warriors are] top-notch. I get to play with Steph [Curry] so I'm a fan of him, just like 99.9% of the world and a chance of winning a championship, what more can you ask for?"

Although the Warriors have a 3-1 record since the Butler trade, their slide earlier in the 2024-25 season pits them at the bottom of the barrel regarding the Western Conference playoff race. 

At 28-27, Golden State ranks 10th in the Western Conference. Perhaps Butler's joy will translate into significant ascension among the Warriors' rivaling playoff hunters. The Warriors return to action against the rejuvenated Sacramento Kings on Friday, who have the same record as the Curry-led unit.

Butler's joy fuels the Warriors' championship aspirations. Despite their current standings predicament, the team's elite defender, Draymond Green, recently predicted they'd win the 2025 NBA Finals. Given Butler's happiness, the Warriors now have the spirit their head coach, Steve Kerr, claimed they missed earlier in the season.