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The marriage between Jimmy Butler and the Warriors already is a mutually beneficial partnership.
Granted, it's a small two-game sample size, but the veteran forward's addition paid dividends for Golden State in its two wins over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
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And with Butler under contract through the 2026-27 NBA season, Hall of Fame guard Dwyane Wade believes the addition will benefit Golden State in the coming years.
"I mean, this is a three-year play," Wade said on the latest episode of his "The Why with Dwyane Wade" podcast. "This an all-in, probably for the next three years in Golden State. When you got one of the greatest players to ever put on a jersey, it is your duty to make sure they have an opportunity when they say 'I need more,' to make sure you give him more. And so obviously, they tried to pull off other moves, but this is the move they end up getting."
Not only does Butler provide the Warriors with a reliable second scoring option to superstar point guard Steph Curry, but playing alongside Curry now allows Butler to play more freely and not feel pressured to lead the team offensively night in and night out.
"I go back to the Jimmy I knew in Marquette, the Jimmy I knew in Chicago at first before he became an All-Star Jimmy, the Jimmy that is just like a wild dog off the leash because he can now just be Jimmy," Wade explained. "He don't have to worry about scoring 56 this night. Now he can, but now he can just be a wild dog off the leash. And that Jimmy is different. That Jimmy can be different, so I'm excited about that."
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In two games with the Warriors, Butler is averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game on 45.8-percent shooting from the field while attempting an eye-popping 28 free throws.
It still is early, but it's clear why Wade believes the partnership will be beneficial now and in the future.