Jimmy Butler could lead Warriors back to title contention

The Golden State Warriors added Jimmy Butler to their roster with the final years of Stephen Curry's career firmly at the forefront of their minds. Butler, 35, is a win-now addition. He fills a void within Steve Kerr's roster and is a proven commodity, both in the regular season and the playoffs.

During a recent interview with ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, veteran forward Draymond Green explained why the addition of Butler could be key to the Warriors' chances of adding a fifth title to Curry's resume.

"He's a franchise changer," Green said. "He's done that everywhere he's gone, and he is helping revitalize what we got here. The belief amongst this team, now that he's arrived, as opposed to what it was before he got here, it's night and day."

Butler is an elite defender. He's also at his best when getting downhill and pressuring the rim. That level of offensive aggression should, theoretically, open up additional space for Curry and the rest of the Warriors to exploit on the perimeter. 

“He’s like the exact opposite player of me, which is kind of funny," Curry said after Butler's debut against the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 8. "I shot 16 threes, he shot 1, he got to the line a lot, he’s dominating the paint, I’m dominating the outside, guys working around us, it has the potential to be really fun.”

Golden State is 3-1 since Butler arrived in the Bay Area. His presence will undoubtedly make the team more difficult to beat, especially as there's another scorer to help carry the load. 

It's unlikely that Butler will be enough of a spark to position Golden State as a contender heading into the postseason. However, after another summer of recruitment and internal development, both Curry and Green could be fighting for another championship in what will likely be one of the final seasons of their illustrious careers.