Draymond Green explains Jimmy Butler’s ‘incredible’ impact with Steph Curry

EXCLUSIVE: Draymond Green spoke to Mirror U.S. Sports on the unseen impact that Jimmy Butler has on the Golden State Warriors and how he feels whenever Steph Curry has his patented ‘flurries’

Draymond Green outlined the impact Jimmy Butler III has had since joining the Golden State Warriors (Image: Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images )

LOS ANGELES – Draymond Green understands that Jimmy Butler III’s impact on the Golden State Warriors can’t be quantified.

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With the Warriors languishing in mediocrity and its season seemingly on the brink of disappointment, Golden State pulled the trigger on a trade to bring Butler to the Bay Area in hopes of salvaging the team’s championship hopes. And the six-time All-Star has delivered.

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Since his arrival in Golden State and when Butler plays alongside Steph Curry, the Warriors are 20-3, showing just how well the two have fit into head coach Steve Kerr’s scheme on both ends of the floor. Butler has long been known as a defensive stalwart, and having a defender of his caliber only makes Green’s job easier on that end.

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Still, the 35-year-old Green understands that Butler’s impact goes beyond what the box score says. Speaking to Mirror U.S. Sports after the Warriors’ 123-116 win over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State’s defensive ace made it clear just how impactful Butler is after two months of playing with him.

“It’s been incredible,” Green said of the 35-year-old Butler. “You know, his impact is way larger than the numbers that he gets on a nightly basis. When you can change the belief in a group, that outweighs any points you can score, any assists you can get, any rebounds you can grab.

“And he’s done that. And I think as huge as he’s been in changing our team offensively, he’s been as big or bigger in changing our team’s defense. Because that’s another guy that literally we can put on point guards, we can put on LeBron James, we can put on Luka Doncic, we can put on a center.

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“I think what he’s allowed us to do defensively changes our philosophy.” Green’s comments come after he told reporters after the win of how Butler’s arrival came with a shift in “belief” among the Warriors.

Draymond Green made it clear that Jimmy Butler III’s impact on the team is hard to quantify (Image: Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images )

After the game, Green claimed: “I think our culture has been here. A bunch of people did a great, incredible job of creating that. But what he’s changed is the belief in this group. And so when we got that guy, Jimmy, I think that helped us get over the hump. And we’re still a long ways away from what we ultimately want to do, but we’re headed in the right direction.

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“So I think the biggest thing he’s changed is obviously the skill on the court and what we’re capable of doing. But he’s just brought this belief to this group that we feel like we can win the game.”

Along with having a renewed sense of belief in themselves, Green noted how the Warriors have followed the dynamic Butler and Curry have, which stems from the “utmost respect” they have for one another. “They both have a huge appreciation for each other’s game,” he continued.

“They got this great chemistry, this great communication amongst them. Your two top dogs got chemistry and great communication. Everybody else got to fall in line, so that’s what we try to do.”

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As he and Curry continue into their mid-to-late 30s, Green understands that what his teammate is doing is a product of the work the star guard puts in behind the scenes. Days before Curry’s 37-point outing against the Lakers, he scored 52 points against the Memphis Grizzlies.

He then followed up those two performances with a 36-point offensive outburst against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Considering how effective Curry continues to be despite his advanced age, Green states that everything that happens on the court is a product of the work in the gym.

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“Appreciating it in the moment, soaking it all in,” Green admitted when asked what goes through his mind when his teammate goes on his “Curry Flurries.” “But also we see the work he put in on a daily basis. So, it’s never a surprise to see him have his moments.

“He works harder than me. When you see a guy put that level of work in, the results are expected.”

Draymond Green Issues Warning About Lakers After $10 Billion Sale originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and her family agreed on Wednesday to sell the historic NBA franchise to Mark Walter, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and CEO of TWG Global.

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Even though Walter has been a stakeholder in the Lakers since 2021, he will now own the majority stake while Buss will continue to act as the team’s governor. The landmark sale will cost $10 billion, making it the most expensive team sale in sports history.

The new ownership can also help the organization spend more money on its team more frequently, which differs from the Buss family’s style of management because they relied on the income they made from the Lakers.

Furthermore, this issue halted much of the team’s development as they had to be cautious with their spending, which makes the deal even more beneficial for the Lakers and a warning sign in the eyes of some players, including Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.

“Oh man, that makes the Lakers dangerous,” Green said during a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.” “The only thing stopping the Lakers by NBA ownership standards is Jeanie Buss and the Buss family [being] one of the least wealthy families as far as money goes.”

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and forward Draymond Green (23).Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Green noted that the Lakers were able to bring in a fair amount of income during the COVID-19 pandemic era between 2020-21 because of their lucrative regional television deal with Spectrum SportsNet, now worth $3 billion.

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“They got so much money from their regional television deal,” Green added. “That puts them in a position to profit when no one was in the stands, but the Lakers did in large part due to their regional TV deal.

“So now we have an owner with deep pockets, who’s going to say, well, I don’t need all that money and take it and put it into the team. Let’s do whatever we want with this roster, and get that guy and this guy.”

Green concluded his speech by claiming that Walter’s wealth, combined with the Lakers’ legacy as a historic franchise, will be “dangerous” for years to come.

Related: Draymond Green Disagrees With Steve Kerr’s Bold Statement on Warriors Player

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Draymond Green’s tactic does not go unnoticed as Warriors star plays villain

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green stirred the pot early in Game 4 on Wednesday, crashing the Houston Rockets’ huddle before Amen Thompson shoved the veteran out

Draymond Green opened the scoring for the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 with two threes (Image: Getty Images )

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green wasted no time setting the tone in Game 4 of the first round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

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With Golden State leading 9–2 early in the first quarter, NBA veteran Green sauntered into the Rockets’ spur-of-the-moment huddle before a free throw. Amen Thompson promptly shoved him out, but the message was clear: Green was in full agitator mode.

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This playful intrusion was classic Green — using mind games to rattle opponents and set the tone. It was a quick, lighthearted moment, but it underscored the psychological warfare that often accompanies high-stakes playoff basketball. Caitlin Clark, meanwhile, has been speaking ahead of the new WNBA season.

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Draymond Green claps back at Houston Rockets fans as Steve Kerr shows true colors READ MORE:

His antics not only fired up the Chase Center crowd but also set the emotional temperature for the night, letting the young Rockets know that the veteran Warriors weren’t going to back down easily.

Later in the game, tensions escalated when Dillon Brooks fouled Stephen Curry, leading to a heated exchange between the two. Surprisingly, Green stepped in as a peacemaker, attempting to defuse the situation, even pulling Curry away before things got worse.

Despite his efforts, the officials assessed technical fouls to Curry, Brooks, and Green himself — a fitting twist, considering Green’s reputation for sparking chaos rather than calming it.

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In the second quarter, another scuffle took place — this time between Green, of course, and Rockets swingman Tari Eason. After Eason cleanly stripped the ball from Green, the pair fell to the ground, with Green’s leg still on top of Eason.

Eason took exception to that and quickly shoved aside Green’s leg. Once again, the game paused and the officials went over to the monitor to review the play, doling out a fragrant foul to Green and a technical to Eason.

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These incidents highlighted the fiery nature of the series, with both teams fiercely competing and emotions running high. These moments of chaos, intensity, and gamesmanship are exactly what playoff basketball is all about. Green’s antics and the ensuing scuffle exemplify the drama that makes this Warriors-Rockets matchup must-watch TV.

As the series continues, expect more fireworks — both in gameplay and in the psychological battles waged between these two determined squads. If Game 4 was any indication, the chess match is just getting started, and Green will be right in the middle of it.

The Warriors won Monday’s game 109-106 to go 3-1 up in the series.

Steph Curry injury update is bad news for Warriors after career-first problem in NBA Playoffs

The Golden State Warriors have suffered a major blow as Stephen Curry has been ruled out for at least a week, meaning he will miss most of the Minnesota Timberwolves series

Stephen Curry has been ruled out for at least one week with a hamstring strain (Image: 2025 Justin Ford )

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has suffered a Grade 1 strain in his left hamstring, instantly ruling him out of Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

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According to ESPN, it’s the first muscle that Curry has ever strained in his career, and he’s expected to miss at least one week. The Warriors took an early lead over the Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals on Tuesday, storming to a 99-88 win in Game 1.

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However, Curry left the game in the second quarter and was later ruled out for the rest of the contest – leaving him reduced to tears in the locker room. Jimmy Butler continued to prove his worth to Golden State as he starred in Curry’s absence, but the Warriors face a major challenge with one of their franchise legends unavailable.

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Due to Curry’s inexperience with overcoming muscle strains, his expected return date is unknown. But with an early diagnosis suggesting at least one week, Curry may not return before Game 6, if at all this series.

Curry had scored 13 points in 13 minutes before hurting his hamstring, and appeared devastated when being forced off the court. Curry’s expression suggested that it was a troublesome injury, and he didn’t return in the second half.

A stunning performance from Buddy Hield saw him score 24 points and Butler was close behind him with 20 points, with the pair also doing most of the heavy lifting when it came to rebounds. The Warriors also managed to keep Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and Rudy Gobert relatively quiet, after they needed just five games to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.

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Anthony Edwards dominated the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round (Image: Getty Images )

Despite the impressive performance which saw Golden State take an early lead in the series, there was one major talking point after the game. Steph Curry.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game: “I talked to him at halftime. He’s obviously crushed. The guys picked him up and played a great game and obviously we’re all concerned about Steph. But it’s part of the game. Guys get hurt, you move on.”

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Kerr was then asked about the severity of Curry’s issue, and made it clear that Game 2 was a doubt. “We don’t know yet,” Kerr added. “But with a hamstring, it’s hard to imagine that he would play Thursday.”

The Warriors will suit up for Game 2 in Minnesota without him, and Curry is also set to miss both home games when the series heads back to Golden State. With games coming fast, Curry’s potential return could be Game 6 on May 18, if the series is still ongoing.

Curry may miss the remainder of the series (Image: Getty Images )

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Game 1 was a reminder that the Warriors can win without Curry, but Butler made it clear that they want him back as soon as possible. “We want Steph back, I’ll tell you that,” Butler said on TNT after the win.

“It’s hard playing without that man. Steph is our best player,” he added. While Butler was more concerned, Draymond Green showed his leadership skills by telling his teammates not to panic, and to remain confident under the added pressure.

“We know what Jimmy’s capable of, Jimmy’s capable of carrying a team, he carried a team to the Finals twice,” Green said. “So we won’t panic, we’ll figure out what [playing without Curry] means.

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“We have the best coaching staff in the NBA, we know they’ll put us in a good spot and let us know what our offense looks like without Steph if we have to go on without him. But we have full confidence in the guys that are on this team, that we can make plays, we can make shots, and we know we got a guy that can make that first domino fall in Jimmy.”

With the regular season nearly completed, it is almost time to turn the page to the 2025 edition of the NBA Playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers have high hopes after acquiring Luka Doncic via a blockbuster trade in February, but a warning has been given to him as well as LeBron James.

An anonymous NBA scout highlighted a problem within the Lakers that James or Doncic will not be able to fix on their own.

“Luka has to guard somebody, and you can wear him down,” the scout said via ESPN. “When LeBron is on the weak side, he switches so he doesn’t have to move as much. I’ve seen him do it several times in one possession. In the playoffs you will see teams target LeBron and Luka, put them in the pick-and-roll.

“The thing with LeBron is he’s not going to foul; you can score on him with the right matchup. With the right personnel he could be exposed on defense in the playoffs. He’s amazing, taking nothing from him, but it’s a worry.”

Additionally, the Lakers’ lack of interior size could give their playoff opponents a weakness to exploit.

“Luka [Doncic] historically made his bigs have these great seasons. [James] Harden is the same way — they get centers paid. He’s doing that for [Ivica] Zubac now,” the executive said. “The Lakers are asking Rui [Hachimura] and [Dorian] Finney-Smith to play [center] and they’re skill sets are as easy for Luka to elevate. It will come down to whether [Hachimura and Finney-Smith] can make shots.”

James and Doncic will have high expectations for their playoff performance, as the Lakers expect them to make a difference.

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Paul Pierce reveals Luka Doncic nightmare scenario

With the playoffs approaching, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to see their addition of Luka Doncic pay off. Despite his status as one of the NBA’s biggest stars, there are players that Doncic does not match up well against, however.

Paul Pierce mentioned two players that could give Doncic trouble on a recent edition of FS1’s “Speak”.

“I think Luka’s worried about Draymond AND Jimmy Butler,” Pierce said. “Two guys who can guard him. And then he’s gonna have to guard on the other end. They’re going to put him in some tough situations. I’m just saying, that’s the only worry though.”

Doncic will do what he can for the Lakers and hope he can avoid these players.