They didn’t know it at the time, but as soon as the Golden State Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler, they may have doomed the Stephen Curry era. Once the playoffs begin, Butler can be a game-changer, but at this point in Curry’s career, the Warriors need to worry about getting to the playoffs just as much as they need to worry about getting through the playoffs.
Butler is a great player. In his prime, he was one of the best postseason performers in NBA history. But when it comes to the regular season, at least in recent years, he hasn’t been the type of guy to help carry a team to impressive records.