NBA championship or bust?
That's Draymond Green's view on the rest of the Warriors' season, with the veteran forward making a bold declaration about Golden State's title chances after acquiring Jimmy Butler at the NBA trade deadline.
"I think we were kind of headed in the wrong direction, thinking we were figuring it out and never figuring it out this year, throughout the course this year, and since [Butler has] been here, we've walked into every game thinking and believing that we're going to win that game," Green said Sunday on TNT before the 2025 NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center. "And that goes a long way in this league.
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"But you walk in the game like, 'Ah man, we're probably going to lose this game,' it's not good. So he's brought back that belief, and I think we're going to win the championship."
Then, Green doubled down.
"I'm sorry, I said I think we're going to win a championship, but I lied. We are going to win the championship."
“We are going to win the championship.”
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 17, 2025
Draymond’s confidence is sky-high after the Jimmy Butler trade 👀
pic.twitter.com/tfnwYgejhe
Golden State Warriors
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The Warriors are 3-1 since acquiring Butler from the Miami Heat at the Feb. 6 deadline, and he certainly has brought a new energy into Golden State's locker room. His ability to get to the rim and force fouls has proven to be a game-changer for the Warriors, and Green even went as far as to say Butler is a franchise-altering acquisition after their win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.
Green is a four-time NBA champion and certainly knows what it takes to win it all. While Butler still is searching for his first ring, it's clear he has earned the respect of his new teammates in what has been an up-and-down season for the Warriors.
Golden State currently holds a 28-27 record and owns the Western Conference's No. 10 seed. With the season's remaining games set to begin Feb. 21 against the Sacramento Kings, Dub Nation is waiting with bated breath to see if Green's prediction comes true.