The Warriors' acquisition of six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler wasn't the NBA's biggest trade before the Feb. 6 deadline, but the move has a chance to be the most impactful.
Golden State brought in Butler to spark a push for a top-six Western Conference seed and a deep playoff run.
And veteran forward Draymond Green upped the ante during NBA All-Star Weekend by guaranteeing the Warriors will win the championship this season.
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So, when ESPN NBA analyst Monica McNutt compiled a list of the players or teams with the most to prove during the second half of the 2024-25 season, she ranked Butler No. 1, ahead of the New York Knicks (No. 2), Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards (No. 3), Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant (No. 4) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 5).
"Our guy Draymond Green this weekend announced that the Warriors are going to win a championship," McNutt said on ESPN's "Get Up" on Wednesday morning. "[Butler] will have a lot to do with it. I think just because of the way that the trade request has played out and because the Warrior organization has been honest and vocal about wanting to maximize Steph [Curry].
"I had a game there earlier. I had a chance to talk with some of their staff. They're like, 'We saw what Steph did in the Olympics. If we can get the pieces around him operating and functioning at a high level and with confidence,' they have hope. And I honestly can't blame him because we all know who Steph is, but Jimmy Butler's presence with that group will have a lot to do with it."
.@McNuttMonica shares her list of NBA teams or players that have the most to prove in the second half of the season ✍️ pic.twitter.com/PvRsrKZ3br
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 19, 2025
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McNutt wasn't surprised by Green's championship declaration, which came while he was on TNT's All-Star Game broadcast Sunday.
"I never expect Draymond to say anybody scares him or that we're not gonna win," McNutt said. "And so I 100 percent accept that from him because athletes have an irrational confidence as they should and they have proven that. To me when I look at that roster, I'm still concerned about the size. I do still have some questions about durability at this point in those guys' careers, but I do think Steve Kerr knows exactly how to manage them. They are honest and they know when to truly be flipping a switch."
The Warriors (28-27) currently sit in 10th place in the Western Conference, tied with the Kings, who they play Friday in Sacramento to begin the second half.
In four games with Butler, the Warriors are 3-1. It's a small sample size, but the results have been positive.
The question remains whether the Warriors have time to climb high enough in the Western Conference standings to avoid the NBA play-in tournament.
But Butler admitted after the trade that he has his joy back and he's out to prove his critics wrong.
If Butler plays at, or above, an All-Star level over the final 27 regular-season games, the Warriors have a good shot at obtaining a top-six seed.