The Warriors turned their season around last February by acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami, but general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. doesn’t expect to make another deal of that magnitude, relays Vince Lontz of NBC Sports Bay Area. During an appearance on “Warriors Pregame Live” before Monday’s game, Dunleavy admitted it would be difficult to pull off another blockbuster trade.
“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better,” he said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”
Golden State was in position to pounce on Butler after the Heat weren’t able to work out a deal to send him to Phoenix, which was reported to be his preferred destination. Butler had an immediate impact on the Warriors, sparking them to a 23-8 finish and a first-round playoff victory.
While Dunleavy doesn’t expect to repeat that success, he hopes to find a way to solve the team’s issue with turnovers. Golden State is one of the league’s worst teams in that category with 16.2 per game, and it has contributed to the disappointing 15-15 record.
“We’ve got to start taking care of the ball,” Dunleavy said. “We’re doing some really good stuff defensively. People talk a lot about our size, between Quinten (Post) and Draymond (Green), when those two are in the game our rim protection is fantastic. When (Stephen Curry)’s off the court, and Jimmy’s on with the group, our offense is pretty good.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Apart from small-ball lineups, Butler and Green have been more effective this season when they’re not on the court at the same time, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). Gordon notes that since their last small-ball start on December 2, Butler and Green have a minus-24.2 net rating in 51 combined minutes. Gordon finds that the most effective lineups have Butler surrounded by shooters and ballhandlers. “I think (coach Steve Kerr) will continue to try to figure out the right combinations,” Curry said, “but the style of — me, Jimmy and Draymond can play together all the time because we know each other so well. Those other two guys, he’s trying to figure out the right combinations there. I know you want me and Jimmy on the floor at all times, and Jimmy with shooting is kind of reflective of when he was at his greatest in Miami. We just have to understand what we’re trying to do with whoever is on the floor and not think the same play calls work for 48 minutes.”
- Constant matchups against bigger players may be wearing on Green, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears suggests in an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link). “I’m hearing to that Draymond’s a little frustrated with having to guard centers and having the guys that are 40-50 pounds heavier than him on a nightly basis,” Spears said. The Warriors added Al Horford in free agency to give Green more time at power forward, but injuries have limited Horford to just 13 games so far.
- Saturday’s ejection and Monday’s shouting match with Kerr have made headlines, but the biggest problem with Green is his diminished skillset, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. To be successful, Friedell states that the Warriors need to recognize Green is no longer the star he used to be and find ways to take advantage of the things he still does well.
- Horford is expected to return for the Christmas Day game against Dallas after missing the past three weeks due to sciatica, Friedell tweets.
Only way the Dubs will be able to add is if they’re willing to part with their FRP. They’re so pot committed that they should be ready to use that as a chip.