Draymond Green Had Two Words to Describe Jimmy Butler's Impact on Warriors

Green called Butler a "franchise changer" for the Warriors.

Golden State Warriors forward Green shoots the ball over Dallas Mavericks guard Dinwiddie and forward Edwards during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jimmy Butler has played four games with the Golden State Warriors after the trade deadline deal that ended the disgruntled star's saga with the Miami Heat. Since Butler's arrival, Golden State has won three of four games, helping the Warriors enter the All-Star break above .500.

He's averaging 21.3 points, 7.0 ebounds and 5.3 assists per game as a Warrior, providing an immediate impact as Golden State tries to stay afloat in the Western Conference's playoff picture. Draymond Green has taken notice, praising Butler as a "franchise changer" after they beat the Houston Rockets Thursday night.

"He's a franchise changer," Green said to reporters postgame via Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle. "He's done that everywhere he's gone and he is helping revitalize what we got here. The belief amongst this team now that he's arrived, as opposed to what it was before he got here, it's night and day."

Draymond Green said Butler is a “franchise changer” for the Warriors.

“He’s helping revitalize what we’ve got here. The belief amongst this team now that he’s arrived as opposed to what it was before he got here — it’s night and day.”

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— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) February 14, 2025

The Warriors dropped a tough game to the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night but they got on the right track heading into the break after the win over the Rockets the following night. Golden State has played their last six games on the road as their home arena gets ready to host the All-Star Game Sunday.

When the Warriors return from the break, they'll have an opportunity to maintain the momentum with their new star. As Green says, they have a new game-changer to help them climb the Western Conference standings. At the All-Star break, the Warriors are 28-27 and the No. 10 seed in the West.

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