Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. cautioned fans not to expect a repeat of last season’s splashy Jimmy Butler deal, saying Monday on “Warriors Pregame Live” that another move of that size is “pretty unrealistic.”
“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better,” Dunleavy 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.”
The Warriors landed Butler from the Miami Heat in February after Miami’s efforts to send him to Phoenix stalled. Butler sparked a 23-8 finish and helped Golden State claim a first-round playoff win, but the club is just 15-15 this season and ranks near the bottom of the league with 16.2 turnovers per game.
Turnovers and lineup combinations under review
Dunleavy identified ball security as the team’s greatest concern, even as he praised the defensive rim protection provided by rookie center Quinten Post and forward Draymond Green. He added that lineups featuring Butler without Stephen Curry have held up offensively.
On-court data supports that view—except when Butler and Green share the floor. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that since their last small-ball start on Dec. 2, lineups with Butler and Green together own a minus-24.2 net rating in 51 minutes. Curry said head coach Steve Kerr is “trying to figure out the right combinations,” noting that Butler surrounded by shooters mirrors the wing’s most successful stretches in Miami.
Green’s workload and Horford’s pending return
ESPN’s Marc J. Spears said on “NBA Today” that Green is “a little frustrated” by guarding heavier centers nightly. Golden State signed veteran big man Al Horford in free agency to lighten that burden, but sciatica has limited Horford to 13 appearances. He is expected to rejoin the lineup on Christmas Day against Dallas after a three-week absence, according to The Athletic.
The Athletic also noted that Green’s recent ejection and a sideline argument with Kerr overshadow a larger issue: his reduced skill set. The publication suggested Golden State must redefine Green’s role to capitalize on what he still does well.
For now, Dunleavy’s path forward centers on internal solutions rather than another headline-grabbing trade.
Source: Hoops Rumors
