The Golden State Warriors were a desperate team before they traded for Jimmy Butler and they’re still a desperate team after the trade. That’s why Stephen Curry and Draymond Green played Thursday night in Houston when the team didn’t arrive until 4 AM for the second half of a back-to-back after a hard-fought loss in Dallas.

It paid off. The Warriors, after having their 24-point lead trimmed to two, held off the Houston Rockets to head into the NBA All-Star break having gone 3-1 with Butler, who is already paying huge dividends, in the lineup. Steve Kerr talked about how much the team, and he, needs this upcoming break. With the momentum they’ve created since the Butler deal, they can come out physically and mentally fresh for what will be a wild 27-game sprint to the finish in a Western Conference packed together like a can of sardines.

The Warriors have benefitted from the schedule since Butler arrived. They played the Chicago Bulls, who stink, and then got the Milwaukee Bucks without Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Rockets, who were also on a back-to-back, to account for their three wins. They were a possession away from a 4-0 start with Butler, but Kyrie Irving was just too much in Dallas and, frankly, the Warriors played miserably in that game.

But it’s Butler who has materially changed things. Have a look at his four box scores so far:

• 25 PTS, 4 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK
• 20 PTS, 9 REB, 6 AST, 4 STL
• 21 PTS, 9 REB, 7 AST
• 19 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST

Butler’s impact is being felt on both ends. He’s fueling a defense that is back to creating some chaos with scrambling rotations and ball-hawking. Since Butler arrived, only the Clippers have generated more steals than the Warriors’ 11.5 per game, which is up from 8.6 before the trade. That has led to almost 10 more points off turnovers per game.

Before Butler, the Warriors had to survive on an incredibly and, for the most part, unsustainably difficult shot diet. They could not get to the rim. They could not get to the free-throw line. Butler specializes in both. Since he arrived, the Warriors are getting six more shots per game in the restricted area and seven more free throws.

That last one is a major leap. Before Butler, the Warriors ranked 26th in the league, generating just 20.7 free throws per game. Over four games with Butler, they’ve jumped to No. 2. These trips to the line can fuel runs and, perhaps even more importantly, limit the runs that opponents used to be able to go on when Golden State started missing shots and coughing up their customary turnovers.

Before, the Warriors had no one to turn to – not even Curry, who can be pretty chaotic himself and has an incredibly hard time drawing fouls – to settle things down. Butler settles everything. He’s forceful without forcing anything. He gives the Warriors almost a sure bet to get into the paint, where he always takes his time, coming to jump stops, pivoting and waiting for plays to open up, either for himself or a teammate, even after he has picked up his dribble.

After Butler’s arrival, even Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody have benefitted, with the former exposing the defensive slack left when teams focus too heavily on Butler and Curry. Meanwhile, Butler has also fuelled better passing situations that can make others look good through timely cuts, pick plays, and open looks from the arc as seen in their last match-up versus the Rockets.

As the Warriors move forward, Jonathan Kuminga is set to return, bringing more energy and improved offensive options for the Warriors in the remainder of the 2025 season.