It’s been a season of three different outlooks for the Golden State Warriors. After starting strong, the team quickly fell apart, dropping into Play-In territory. A change was needed, and the trade for Jimmy Butler III gave them the spark they were looking for. Not only has Butler been rounding into form, but he’s also brought out the best in Stephen Curry.
As a result, Golden State is climbing the standings, winning eight of its last 10 games. That has given fans hope and potentially revived the team’s chances as a championship contender. One key piece of the squad, Gary Payton II, is buying into the hype and believes his team will be a problem for opponents.
Gary Payton II Is Riding High With Jimmy Butler
Adding Butler has led to a few major changes. The two biggest improvements have been elite defense and more scoring inside.
The Warriors’ points in the paint have jumped nearly seven per game since Butler arrived, which has also helped the NBA’s worst free-throw shooting team improve significantly. Speaking about Butler’s defensive contributions, Payton compared him to an NFL legend.
“It’s been great, what he brings to the first unit,” Gary Payton II told RG about Butler. “It’s a little pop, a little aggressiveness, and his demand on the court is incredible. His IQ for the ball, he’s back there looking like a little Deion [Sanders] in our defense, doing what he does, being in the right spot at the right time and just making plays.”
What makes the situation even more interesting is that the team is missing one of its most promising players—Jonathan Kuminga, who has taken a huge leap as a quality rotation piece over the last few seasons.
And Payton recognizes what the return of Kuminga could mean for them. “If we can continue to do what we’re doing now—Jonathan’s not even playing right now—once Jonathan gets back into the mix, and we become full strength again, it might be a little scary down the line.”
The goal remains simple for Golden State, a franchise that has won four championships in the last decade and made two additional NBA Finals appearances. When asked if this season could add to that tally, Payton was optimistic.
“Absolutely. Once Jonathan comes back, that’s another piece that we can throw back in there, and he gets accumulated with Jimmy [Butler] and we can see how that plays different line-ups and different units.”
But the key is staying the course. Their shift in style, combined with a strong February, has lifted them out of the Play-In Tournament and into the No. 6 seed. However, their margin for error is slim, with the ninth-seeded Sacramento Kings just two games back.
“[Hopefully] We can continue to ride this wave as long as we can, stay humble and continue working on what we need to do,” said Payton II. “By the time April comes, we’ll be in a good spot—hopefully not in the play-in, though. … We’re on the right track and I like this team right now. Hopefully we can make some noise in April.”
When the trade happened, Butler promised Golden State fans another championship. With the way things are looking, could he deliver?
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