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Why Butler, Warriors shared mutual initial trade hesitation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The fit might not have been quite as obvious at first, but after six weeks, it appears Jimmy Butler and the Warriors are a near-perfect match.

Before the veteran forward was dealt to Golden State in a blockbuster trade on Feb. 5, both Butler and the Warriors reportedly had some level of trepidation about a potential marriage in the weeks leading up to the deal, which initially made it seem like a trade would not materialize before the NBA’s Feb. 6 deadline.

In an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Butler, whose preferred trade deadline destination reportedly was the Phoenix Suns, explained his perceived hesitation about a trade to Golden State before the deal went through.

“I wasn’t skeptical of coming here,” Butler told Slater. “I just didn’t talk to anybody … I knew I was going to get this contract no matter what. The people keep talking about it being about the money. How can it be about the money when any team that traded for me, what were they going to do? I just want to win. Where can I go to win?”

Some key Warriors, including Steph Curry and Steve Kerr, reportedly had some initial reservations about Butler’s potential fit in the locker room before the trade, with Draymond Green even issuing Butler a warning about his behavior before forcing his way out of Miami.

“With any deal, you question it,” Curry told Slater, admitting to his initial reluctance about the trade. “Even when [Kevin Durant] came, it was like, you don’t know what it’s going to look like. We came into it positive, but you still had to see it. That uncomfortability is good because it challenges everyone to talk through it, come with the right preparation.”

“I can only speak for this environment because I only know this environment and I helped create this environment,” Curry said. “If [quirky habits] bother you, if that’s something that is distracting, then you’re worried about the wrong stuff. Professionals show up and play. And that’s all we ask of everybody who is in here. We’ve had our challenges throughout the years. We’ve seen certain, you know, episodes or what not. But if you show up to play, I have zero problems.”

It’s safe to say the trade has worked out very well for both Butler and the Warriors, who are 16-4 overall since the star forward’s arrival on Feb. 6 and have rocketed up the Western Conference standings.

Not only have the Warriors been winning, but Butler now has a superstar counterpart in Curry that he thinks very highly of.

“He real real,” Butler said of Curry. “Good dude. Talks. He’s always trying to help everybody be great. Laughs. Wants to have a good time. Loves the game. Loves to compete. Loves to win. But he is the guy. He is the man. He is everything everybody says of him. More than anything, he’s just nice. I’m not talking about on the court. He’s just genuinely a good human being. To everybody. It’s very, very, very refreshing. Because he doesn’t have to be that way.”

The Warriors look to continue their winning ways against the Miami Heat on Tuesday at Kaseya Center, Butler’s first game against his former team since his and Golden State’s season-altering trade.

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Watch Heat fans chase after Butler following Warriors practice originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Wherever Jimmy Butler goes in public, a crowd eventually might follow.

Similar to new Warriors teammate Steph Curry, Butler is one of the more recognizable players in today’s NBA, and after Golden State’s practice on Monday at Barry University in Miami ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Heat, Butler was reminded of his stardom when a crowd of fans chased after him as he walked from the gym to a nearby car.

Students at Barry University go absolutely wild trying to track down Jimmy Butler after Warriors practice @NBCSWarriorspic.twitter.com/fnfEeQqHQF

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) March 24, 2025

The fans then surrounded the car and took selfies, presumably with Butler through the window, before clearing out as the Warriors star’s car drove away.

While the majority of fans in the video were not wearing any team gear, it’s fair to assume a large portion of them are Heat fans.

Butler spent five-plus seasons in Miami, leading the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023) in four years, and clearly still has many fans in the area despite his rocky departure.

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Butler downplays ‘Heat Culture' narrative ahead of Miami return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Culture isn’t the be-all, end-all for an NBA team’s success on the court. As Jimmy Butler can attest to.

The superstar forward was traded from the Miami Heat to the Golden State Warriors in a blockbuster deal on Feb. 5, and in an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater published Monday, he revealed why, after five-plus seasons in Miami, he does not view the organization’s infamous “Heat Culture” as important to the team’s success as many believe it is.

“There was some foundation to it in the sense of the work and all that stuff, which is great,” Butler told The Athletic. “I’m not saying it in a bad way, but I think it’s a little bit, like, overused talking about the ‘Heat Culture.’ It is a great organization. But I think a large part of that culture is you get guys that buy into a (winning mindset).

“You get some guys that buy in, you get some really good players and you get the opportunity to talk about ‘Heat Culture’ a little bit more. I’m not saying it to talk down or anything, but I think whenever you have really good players you can name it whatever you want to name it.”

The concept of “Heat Culture,” similar to “the Patriot way,” coined by the NFL’s New England Patriots, stresses a hard-working, relentless, professional and unselfish style of play.

Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances (2020, 2023) in four years during his Miami tenure and many believe that throughout those respective postseasons, Butler was the perfect embodiment of what “Heat Culture” meant to the Miami fan base.

However, while Butler believes the organization’s mantra is an effective guiding principle, talent ultimately wins out at the end of the day.

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Steph officially listed as questionable for Warriors-Heat game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors star Steph Curry is trending in the right direction after missing Saturday’s game due to a pelvic contusion.

Curry, who joined the Warriors in Miami on Sunday, practiced with the team at Barry University and will participate in a separate private workout later Monday.

Curry is listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against the Heat.

After Monday’s practice, Warriors PR told reporters that Curry is “making good progress” and that his status will be determined by how he feels Tuesday morning.

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson asked Kerr how Curry looked in practice.

“Good. Good,” Kerr said. “We didn’t scrimmage or anything but he was moving great. Surprised he knocked down a lot of shots too.”

Steph Curry is “making good progress.” Warriors didn’t scrimmage. All positive from how he was moving https://t.co/yDhRxT9jNQ

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) March 24, 2025

The Warriors just finished an extended practice at Barry University in Miami

Steph Curry is about to go through a separate workout soon. Official update on his status to come @NBCSWarriorspic.twitter.com/Q8YepMcmGy

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) March 24, 2025

Curry sustained the injury early in the second half of the Warriors’ win over the Toronto Raptors last Thursday night. He missed Golden State’s costly loss to the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.

The Warriors enter Monday half a game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the Western Conference’s No. 6 seed.

Tuesday’s game against the Heat will be emotional, as forward Jimmy Butler plays his first game against his former team.

Kerr believes it is important for Curry to be there for Butler, or any of his teammates, for that matter.

“I think Steph feels an obligation always to be there for his teammates, regardless of the circumstances,” Kerr told reporters. “He’s an amazing teammate and he wants to get back as soon as possible, mainly so we can win games and climb the ladder in the playoff race. But no doubt he wants to be there for Jimmy too, and that’s one of the things I love about Steph. He’s always there for his guys.”

With 11 regular-season games remaining and so much on the line in each contest, Curry’s presence in Tuesday’s lineup would be a welcome sight for the Warriors.

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Kerr had two non-negotiables for Butler after Warriors' trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors coach Steve Kerr does not ask much from his players, so the few rules he does have, carry weight.

Superstar forward Jimmy Butler learned Kerr’s two most important rules soon after the blockbuster trade that brought him from the Miami Heat to Golden State on Feb. 5. In an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, revealed Kerr’s two non-negotiables for him: Show up on time and compete to win as part of the group.

Butler revealed to Slater that when the Warriors were preparing to fly back home to San Francisco after a win over the Brooklyn Nets on March 6, he pulled Kerr aside to inform him of his decision to fly separately to Miami to pick up his children before beginning the team’s recent seven-game homestand.

“I pulled Steve aside and said, ‘Steve, I’m finna fly home and grab my kids,’” Butler told The Athletic. “He said, ‘Oh, OK. Yeah. See you back in the Bay.’ Like nothing else. Nothing.”

The detour was not a request from Butler, but rather him informing the team of his plans, regardless of how they felt about it. Fortunately for Butler, Kerr, who notoriously embraces a family-first environment, had no issue with his stop in Miami and wants his players to feel comfortable marching to the beat of their own drums. As long as it doesn’t get in the way of the ultimate goal: Winning.

“We welcome personal quirkiness and individualism, and I think guys always feel a sense of freedom here,” Kerr said. “I told Jimmy that from Day 1. I said, ‘You be you.’”

The Warriors, like the four other NBA teams Butler has played for, have learned that there is no controlling the 35-year-old on and off the court.

And as long as Butler abides by the team’s two non-negotiables, that won’t be an issue.

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As the season winds down, we continue to see new milestones reached and clubs making the call to shut down injured players. In this article, we will look into a bit of both and also touch on intriguing performances from a busy week of NBA action. 

Notable Achievements 

DeMar DeRozan took a significant step in cementing himself in the NBA history books as he reached the impressive milestone of 25,000 career (regular season) points in a loss against the Bulls on Thursday. He is in the midst of his 12th consecutive season averaging at least 20 points per game, and he averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals over four outings last week. DeRozan should continue to shine as he must lead the way for the Kings as they pursue their postseason hopes. 

Jimmy Butler is making his presence felt with his new squad as he became the fastest player in Warriors history to rack up 100 rebounds and 100 assists, reaching the milestone on Tuesday, in just his 17th appearance with the team. He has reached the 20-point mark in eight of his 19 outings since joining the club, including in three out of four games played last week, averaging 22.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.3 steals over that span. He should continue to thrive as he looks increasingly more comfortable with each game played in the new setting. 

After becoming the seventh player in NBA history to score at least 20 points in 60 consecutive games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pushed the streak up to 64 games and is averaging 33.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks over that span. His impressive achievement makes a great case for him to earn his first MVP award, and he can be expected to continue to lead the charge for his energetic squad as they look to keep their momentum going into the postseason. The Thunder also clinched first place in the Western Conference and are sitting on a 59-12 record.

Sandro Mamukelashvili made history on Wednesday, as he set the record for most points scored by a player in under 20 minutes of action. He shot a blistering 13-for-14 from the field and 7-for-7 from beyond the arc on his way to 34 points in 19 minutes. The big man saw on-and-off minutes through the majority of the season but has earned more consistent time since Victor Wembanyama was injured. Mamukelashvili is averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 14.8 minutes per game over the last five games. He should continue to see a similar amount of opportunity through the final stretch of the campaign, especially after his massive performance. 

Bronny James turned some heads as he accumulated 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting, three rebounds, five assists and a block in 30 minutes of action during a blowout loss to the Bucks on Thursday. As a result of his efforts, he earned a place in Lakers history, becoming the youngest Lakers rookie since Magic Johnson to achieve 17 points and five assists while shooting 70 percent from the field. James continues to see sparse action, usually late in blowout situations, and will have to continue to make the most of the limited opportunity. 

Stand-Out Performers 

Jaylin Williams opened the week by recording his second triple-double of the season, as he finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds, 11 assists and two steals in a 33-point win over the 76ers on Monday. He kept up his solid play through the rest of the week and averaged 15.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists over the three games played. His big game on Monday was partially a result of him picking up a bigger role in the absence of Jalen Williams. However, he is averaging 16.9 minutes per game on the season, which is plenty of time for him to continue to make his presence felt and provide important support off the bench. 

Stephon Castle has started in the last six games and is averaging 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks over that span, including topping the 20-point mark in two of the Spurs' four games played last week. Castle has been a key part of the Spurs' rotation all season and is likely to continue to handle a significant role down the stretch as the club is no longer in the playoff mix and focusing on development is their only meaningful goal that remains.

Josh Giddey was two steals away from a quadruple-double in his last outing, as he tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists and eight steals in 33 minutes of action in a 31-point win over the Lakers on Saturday. He played in just two of the Bulls' four games last week but shined in both outings, as he had 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block in a loss to the Suns on Wednesday. Giddey is averaging 14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals on the season and has hit the 20-point mark on 12 occasions. He also has 24 double-doubles and four triple-doubles. He is in a great position to continue to grow with the team's young core and is on track to help lead the way as they are set for a run at the postseason. 

Donovan Mitchell is noted here for the opposite reason as the above-mentioned players, as he is coming off his worst stretch of the season, averaging 16.8 points on 30.3 percent shooting over four games last week. His struggles coincided with the Cavs' first four-game losing streak of the season, which spanned from March 16 to March 21, before they managed to get back on track with a win over the Jazz on Sunday. Despite the rough patch, the Cavs maintain a 5.0-game hold on first place in the East and should be able to cruise the rest of the way without losing their grip on the top spot. Mitchell has been a major factor in their success, averaging 23.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals on the campaign, maintaining his streak of averaging at least 20 points per game in every season of his career. Mitchell is likely to get his groove back and should continue to be the leading force in his club's push through the postseason.

Shut Down

It was announced early last week that Paul George would be shut down for the season after receiving injections to deal with injuries to his left adductor muscle and knee. The news puts an end to arguably the most disappointing season of his career, as his debut campaign with the 76ers could not have gone much worse. In his defense, the team's struggles mostly hinged on the unavailability of Joel Embiid. However, George was not able to carry the torch in the big man's absence, as he averaged less than 20 points per game for the first time in 10 seasons. At 34 years old, George still has time to get his game back on track, as long as he can recover to full health. Additionally, with a healthy Embiid and Tyrese Maxey by his side, he could help lead the 76ers to a quick turnaround next year.  

Trey Murphy was working on a stellar season, averaging career highs of 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, but it came to an abrupt end last week, as he suffered a torn labrum and partial rotator cuff tear early in a meeting with the Pistons on Monday. Murphy reached the 30-point mark seven times, including two games with at least 40, as he established himself as a legitimate scoring threat from the wing this season. As long as he comes back healthy, he will be a key figure for the Pelicans' next campaign and should continue to build on his impressive progress in what will be his fifth NBA season. 

Facing the NBA's top team and one of the league's elite players, the Clippers needed to be at their best Sunday if they were to extend their winning streak to six games.

But they failed to deliver in the final seconds against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, losing 103-101 in a tense battle at the Intuit Dome.

“A lot of turnovers. Even at the end of the fourth, we had two or three turnovers at the end,” Kawhi Leonard said. “Yeah, we fought hard. We was in the game the whole game. Just calls could have gone either way. But salute to them. They've been the best team in the league.”

The Clippers missed an opportunity to tie the game when Derrick Jones Jr. made only one of two free throws with 1:22 left, leaving the Clippers down 101-100 before things really started to unravel.

Read more:James Harden scores 30 as red-hot Clippers pick up their fifth straight win

Two costly turnovers, including one by Ivica Zubac after he fumbled the ball out of bounds with 1:01 left, ended one chance to take the lead. Then, with 21 seconds left, Norman Powell missed a shot, and after Zubac got the offensive rebound, Kawhi Leonard missed a shot with four seconds remaining.

The loss dropped the Clippers (40-31) to eighth in an increasingly tight Western Conference postseason race. They are one game out of sixth place for the final automatic playoff berth with 11 games left.

"I already played in the play-in and I ain’t trying to do that again," said Powell, who finished with nine points. "So, you’re watching closely on positioning, wanting teams to lose, want to keep the way we’re playing going. Bounce back on this road trip. But, yeah, definitely, everybody is trying to avoid that play-in right now.”

Gilgeous-Alexander, held to seven-for-29 shooting from the floor, finished with 26 points. He made all 11 of his free-throw attempts, including two in the final seconds.

Leonard had 25 points and 10 rebounds. James Harden, who finished with 17 points, moved past Moses Malone for 11th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Zubac had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

After the game, Harden limped around the locker room. He had been kneed in the left thigh by Thunder guard Luguentz Dort in the third quarter. Harden said he rolled his foot during the play.

The Thunder, who swept the season series against the Clippers, have the NBA's best record at 59-12 and the league’s leading scorer and most valuable player candidate in Gilgeous-Alexander (32.9 points per game).

It wasn't all bad news for the Clippers — coach Tyronn Lue was back on the sideline. He missed five of the previous seven games because of back pain, with the Clippers going 6-1 over that stretch with assistant coach Brian Shaw at the helm.

Lue thanked his coaching staff for keeping the team in good shape.

“I feel a lot better,” Lue said. “I’m just going to take it day by day, game by game. ... The pain from my shoulder and back kind of went down my leg a little bit. ... I feel really good as far as my back and shoulder. Now, it’s just trying to get the leg part better, but I do feel better from that regard. That’s what was giving me the most problems."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

3 observations after Sixers' losing streak hits 4 games with defeat to Hawks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

To no one’s surprise, the shorthanded Sixers’ losing streak reached four games Sunday night in Atlanta.

The Hawks picked up a 132-119 victory at State Farm Arena. Atlanta moved to 35-36 overall and the Sixers dipped to 23-48. 

Quentin Grimes recorded 26 points and six assists. Justin Edwards added 22 points.

Hawks star Trae Young posted 28 points and 12 assists. Rookie Zaccharie Risacher had 22 points.

The Sixers had 10 players out with injuries. Below is the full list:

• Tyrese Maxey (lower back sprain and right finger sprain) 
• Joel Embiid (season-ending left knee injury) 
• Paul George (season-ending left adductor and left knee injuries) 
• Jared McCain (season-ending left lateral meniscus surgery) 
• Eric Gordon (season-ending right wrist surgery)  
• Kelly Oubre Jr. (right knee sprain) 
• Lonnie Walker IV (concussion) 
• Adem Bona (left ankle sprain) 
• Kyle Lowry (right hip injury) 
• Andre Drummond (left toe sprain)

Oshae Brissett was also ruled out in the second half because of right knee swelling.

The Sixers will complete their six-game road trip Monday night against the Pelicans. Here are observations on their defeat to the Hawks: 

Inauspicious start 

Nothing about the first two minutes suggested the Sixers were going to snap their skid. 

The team committed turnovers on its first two possessions and Atlanta scored the night’s first five points. And, with just 89 seconds elapsed, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse got a technical foul for his sideline complaints about the officiating. 

Individually, Edwards again started very well. He scored eight points in about six minutes and continued to show growing comfort at attacking closeouts when open jumpers aren’t available. Edwards has drawn 11 free throws over the last two games. Before Friday, he’d averaged just 1.2 free throws per game in his rookie year. 

The Sixers’ defense again leaked all sorts of points. Georges Niang quickly drilled two long-range shots after checking in. Three Niang free throws with 3.9 seconds left in the first quarter gave the Hawks a 35-24 lead. 

Hawks’ bench has major edge 

Another reason the Sixers fell behind is Grimes wasn’t on his A-game early. He missed his first two jumpers short and only scored two points in the first quarter. Still, Grimes managed to post at least 25 for an eight consecutive game.

Once both benches entered the picture, Atlanta had a sizable advantage. The Hawks outscored the Sixers’ second unit by a 36-11 margin in the first half. On top of Niang’s 20 points, Dominick Barlow recorded a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.

Clearly, the Sixers don’t have tons of manpower or firepower off the bench.

Their four available second-unit players Sunday were Jared Butler, Ricky Council IV, Alex Reese and Brissett. Council followed up his career-high performance against the Spurs with 14 points in 19 minutes, but he fouled out early in the fourth quarter.

Lottery picture update

Risacher had a big third quarter and the Hawks’ lead continued to expand. His corner three stretched Atlanta’s advantage to 81-60.

From there, the only real question was exactly how much the Sixers would lose by. Though the Sixers kept plugging away, cutting a deficit as high as 27 points down to 11 with a little under four minutes left, the fourth quarter was still low-stress for Atlanta.

Of course, the subtext of every Sixers defeat is that it boosts their NBA draft lottery outlook. (The team’s first-round pick this year is top-six protected.) After Sunday’s games, the Sixers are tied with the Nets for the league’s fifth-worst record. New Orleans is fourth-worst at 19-53.

The Raptors sit slightly behind the Sixers and Nets in terms of the draft lottery picture at 24-47. Like the Sixers, they’re on a four-game losing streak. Toronto dropped a 123-89 game Sunday to the Spurs.