Basketball is all about building your team, right? Individual stars create their own path, showcasing their talent, their drive, and focus, but the goal in basketball is to build up your team with smart play and chemistry on and off the court.
For the Golden State Warriors, team chemistry is what got them to the dance. Led by their all-time great point guard Stephen Curry and defensive anchor Draymond Green, the camaraderie between the players on the Warriors is what helped catapult them to a different level.
Curry and Green remain the driving force in this team’s chemistry and path to a championship 10 years after their first title together. The Warriors shook up that chemistry when they added Jimmy Butler to the roster in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson to the Miami Heat. When the trade was announced prior to the Warriors playing the Utah Jazz, emotions were high.
The Warriors would lose that game to the Jazz due to being shorthanded, but the reality had finally set in. Butler was a Golden State Warrior. Andrew Wiggins, a member of the 2022 championship team, was gone. Would the Warriors survive this move? Would their chemistry be ruined?
Mike Dunleavy Jr. Eased Stephen Curry’s Concerns
Curry is known for being one of the best teammates in the NBA. Despite this, when the Butler trade came into play, Curry had a few concerns about how he would fit with the team. Those concerns were valid, as Butler just departed a Heat team that had more focus on drama than actual on-court action.
While both Steve Kerr and Curry expressed their hesitation, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. stepped up and gave Butler his blessing, convincing the organization and their star player that Butler is worth the money and the contract extension. During a new piece in the New York Times, Dunleavy said the following:
“The paying part to me is really easy because basketball-wise, he’s that good. With Jimmy, you can see the way he elevates his teammates. That intangible is what makes you a max player. I’m not going to pretend to predict the future of how all this is going to play out. But I do have a comfort level in who he is. I’ve been a teammate of his and I understand what makes him tick.”
Butler signed a 2-year, $111 million extension with the Warriors right after the trade was finalized. While his numbers don’t jump off of the page, his impact defensively and connecting the offense shows that his fit with the Warriors and their chemistry is perfect.
Will Warriors Move Up Western Conference Standings?
The Warriors are in a prime position to move up a slot or two in the Western Conference standings if they can continue their winning ways. The Lakers are dropping games, the Nuggets are injured and dropping games, the Grizzlies are also losing games while missing players. This would allow for the Warriors to sneak into the 4th or 5th seed if possible.
The Warriors sneaking into the 4th seed would guarantee that they have home court advantage in at least one playoff series, but that’s a tough road to climb. Both the Lakers and Grizzlies have tough upcoming schedules, so there’s a chance we see the Warriors make it to the 4th seed if they can close the year with a number of wins.
Will the Warriors remain out of the play-in? Will they be able to move up in the Western Conference standings? Time will tell.
