Jimmy Butler has seamlessly transitioned to the Golden State Warriors not only as a player, but with his relationships on the team, particularly his relationship with Draymond Green. Though Butler and Green have previously been viewed as divisive figures at times, they have gotten along really well since the Warriors traded for Butler in February.
Butler and Green played dominoes together in Miami this week before their game against the Heat. After Butler came up with a key block last week versus the Toronto Raptors, Butler told Green: "I got you."
Butler hasn't been on the Warriors long, but he and Green appeared to have already formed a strong bond. According to Butler, the two share the same desire to win, which has created mutual respect for each other.
"Two winners that would do anything to win," Butler told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk of his relationship with Green. "He could care less about personal success. He's just trying to win a championship."
"I just want to win," Butler continued. "I don't give a f--- about nothing else. We ain't going to never butt no motherf---ing heads. ... That's what people keep overlooking. They think like we going to get in fist fights. No we not. Because all we want to do is win."
Butler added that he and Green have found they share plenty in common, but at the end of the day, they both are incredibly driven to win.
"We got a lot in common with kids, our love for basketball," Butler said. "Small town individuals that happen to end up on a big-time college basketball squad, late draft picks that have overcome everything to become who they are today. That's what those conversations are and I just appreciate it."
"[And] Draymond ain't no f---ing a--hole. I knew it though. ... It's like, 'Bro, nah, you just a winner. You're a truth teller.' And people don't like that."
Green told ESPN of Butler: "We're both smart. And we're both heartless ... heartless when it comes to the opposition. He rewrites the book, which also rewrites the possibilities of things that can be done here."
Butler has previously willed his team deep in the playoffs on multiple occasions, including to the NBA Finals, but he has yet to win an NBA championship. He now joins Green and a team that has won more titles than any other team over the last decade. With their mutual ambitions to bring another championship to Golden State, it perhaps shouldn't be that surprising to see the Butler-Warriors pairing going so well.