In this informal interview‑style episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Baron Davis and Green dissect the Golden State Warriors’ recent evolution after acquiring Jimmy Butler. Green describes the first two games with Butler, highlighting how Butler’s off‑ball movement, drawing of defensive attention, and willingness to get fouled have altered the Warriors’ offensive tempo, allowing Steph Curry to play with more freedom and giving the team a new “slow‑down” element they needed. He recounts Steph’s comment that this season may be Curry’s “last ride,” and reflects on the emotional weight of that statement. The conversation covers Butler’s defensive versatility, his reputation for drawing fouls, his “Megatron” nickname, and his ability to create scoring opportunities without always handling the ball. Green also touches on the team’s chemistry, likening the roster to a party with Curry as the DJ, Green as security, and Butler as a versatile dancer. Additional topics include a league warning about Green’s aggressive play, the rarity of Warriors’ free‑throw attempts, a personal anecdote about playing dominoes with Butler, and a promotional plug for Vice Sports’ college‑basketball docuseries featuring John Calipari and Rick Pitino. Throughout, the tone remains conversational, enthusiastic, and occasionally metaphorical, offering insider perspectives on strategy, player roles, and the psychological dynamics of the Warriors’ locker room.
Chapters
How you feeling though?
I feel great, brother. You know, it's been a while since I've gone into basketball games like with that feeling of like, oh yeah, we gonna go, let's win. And it's been 2 games here and nobody's getting ahead of themselves, but I can only tell you how these 2 games have felt.
All right, let 'em know.
That's just how I'm feeling, man. It feel great, bro. Like, you know, and stuff gonna get harder. We gonna have to figure stuff out, you know, but I know when it's right.
I could see it. I could see it. I could feel it. In the Bucks game, you got up for the big time block against Gary Trent Jr. You know, they talking about Defensive Player of the Year conversations is back up. Steph got the stepping, got the chefing. Jimmy Butler, Got to serving, willing and dealing. Post-game, Steph said Jimmy Butler's impact on him, every possession doesn't feel as hard. What is the biggest takeaway from these two games since Jimmy has joined the team?
That's a fact, bro. And that's on everybody though, bro. Like that's on everybody, offensively and defensively. Like he dropped, it's crazy because in a weird way, he draws so much attention.
Yeah.
But obviously I've played with Steph for 13 years. So drawing attention to me looks a certain way, you know?
Yeah.
We played for 12 years, draw attention. And obviously with KD for 3 years. But Jimmy draw attention differently than any of us. In a different way. But draw a lot of attention. And it's crazy because Jimmy is interesting, man. Again, playing with Steph, one of the most incredible things that Steph does is play without the ball. Jimmy has that same thing. When Steph said, "Yo, we have like opposite games." Like, it's on so many different levels. Like, when Steph is running around, like, to find an opener to get the ball, Jimmy is like just working on the backside, like nudging it.
Yeah.
Like, it's crazy. They break the defense down the same way, but different. Like, hey man. And so yeah, I understand what Steph is saying. I agree with what Steph is saying. Like Steph just looked more free. But I'm gonna tell you.
Yeah.
He looked, he got, he looked like he got belief. That's all, like, that's all it is.
He energized.
Steph, he looked like he got belief. He said to me in Utah after the trade, he looked at me and he said, "Man, it's crazy 'cause it just dawned on me that like, this is it." This is the last ride. Last ride. Like, and I said, "Yeah, let's do it." Let's, yep.
Let's ride. Let's ride to the wheels fall off. God's blessing.
It was an emotional moment. But yeah, like Jimmy, man, it's crazy, brother. Wait. It's crazy because people draw, as you know, in this league, people has learned how to draw bullshit fouls. This dude Jimmy, he really like, he really make people foul him like they are actually real fouls. And he just got a knack for it, man. It's brought this balance of like, we can really slow our offense down because you got somebody that's like, like Steph said, Steph dominates from the perimeter. Like we all, everybody in the world knows that. You got somebody now that's dominating inside the 3-point line, which naturally slows the offense down. Which I think we needed to slow the offense down some anyway because we don't have the same talent and IQs that Andre, AldeShawn Livingston, David West.
It's not the same weapons.
And so it's a little different and Jimmy allows us to slow down. So when will you go run? Great. But if not, it's cool to slow down.
Yeah.
And man, and then defensively, it's incredible. Jimmy, Jimmy, we call Jimmy, already earned his name Megatron. Jimmy told her, he came to me before the first game with Chicago. He said, "Hey man, throw me the ball high." He said, "You throw me the ball high." I may not finish it, but I'm gonna get it and bring it down. He said, but nobody else gonna get it. If you just throw the ball high, bro. So I just throw the ball up, he go grab every one of 'em.
For sure. That's his play.
That's his play. Yeah. And man, he literally, he made good. He's just throw it up, I will go get it. Man, it's been so fun competing with Jimmy. And I must tell you, BD, He been kicking my ass in dominoes, bro.
For real?
Yeah, he been kicking my ass.
He trash at it.
That's not true. That's not— It's a very competitive game.
How's it pass?
It's been very competitive games, but then he pulled away. He got a little luck on his side too. Like, I'm up 20 points, he pulled 5-5. Like, he got a little luck on his side too, but he been— I gotta give him his credit.
Okay, okay, Jimmy, okay. You know, I don't really be speaking on Jimmy. I try not to speak on him, his situation. But now that he with the Doves, I can tell you what my observation is. And it hit me before he got to the, like before he played his first game. 'Cause you sitting there and you like, damn, how is this gonna work? And then they was showing highlights and then they showed a couple games that he played in the finals. And I realized something, Jimmy Butler is the superstar that's always open. He's always open. Always open, right? He's always open.
Yep.
Also, he always has a, he never gets double-teamed.
Yeah.
He's always in the scoring position. He's always 1 or 2 dribbles away. And all the little bullshit shenanigans that come with defense, deflections, steals, turn it, like, like that's Jimmy's magic. You feel what I'm saying? That's his magic. And then when you take that to what the Warriors haven't had, free throws.
Absolutely.
Y'all never went to the free throw line, bro. Y'all, y'all was winning championships not going to the free throw line. Which was like crazy. Now you add free throws. This dude gets fouled all the time and they really be fouling him.
They really be.
Right? He a bully, right? Not just on offense, but also on defense, right? He's an incredible help defender.
Yeah.
And on top of that, he got a new life. And so him being the villain, right? With Draymond Green, who's already a villain, who was just waiting for another villain to come into the room to wake up. And Steph Curry, who's a supervillain. And people don't understand that Steph Curry is in his best mode when the odds are stacked against Steph Curry. And so now you got this kind of, this villain mentality. This hungry mentality and nobody's gonna punk you guys. Nobody's gonna IQ, out IQ you. And you can't just chase Steph around because Jimmy gets twos.
Mm-hmm.
He gets twos and ones, putbacks, right? He don't need the ball for a long amount of time. To go get 30, you know, 30, 40. Man, I'm watching this, I'm like, oh my God. Hey, when y'all, what was it? Was it the Bulls game? Steph went crazy, right?
Mm-hmm.
Just him catching fire like that, right?
Yeah.
But then you got Jimmy on the back end getting 2s, getting and-1s, getting putbacks. I'm excited. He bring a lot. He bring a lot that all the intangible, All the intangible, all that shit is what people don't value, but what makes— Superstars, superstars.
Shout out to Mike Dunleavy, man, 'cause I'm so happy Jimmy didn't end up in Phoenix. Oh my God, that would've been awful. And what Jimmy has brought here, when you talk about like two bullies, it's crazy because he's brought that sense of, back of, oh, we, we can win. And everybody feel that. And so the bar has been raised and we know what that bar need to be raised to. Like, we know what it is. And so the bar has been raised so much so that you talk about Steph these last 4 games, we all feel that and excited. I got a warning apparently from the league the other day that the last few games I've been playing too aggressive.
Mm-hmm.
And that they're warning me.
What?
What does that mean? I don't know.
What does that mean? I don't see nothing wrong. Exactly.
But apparently me being in go win mode is a problem. So another thing we've never seen in a long time, we haven't seen it. Steph went out the game, it was a 2-point lead or 4-point lead. When he checks back into the game, it was 17.
Yeah.
He checked back into the game like 7 to 8 minutes to go in the 4th quarter.
Yep.
The league 17. That's the impact of Jimmy.
That's the relief.
Yeah.
Steph gets to really look at the game, right? Steph Curry has had the biggest responsibility of having to make in-game decisions and change his pattern, right? I would say this year has been, you know, trying because all eyes on Steph. If Steph don't Steph, then nobody else is really open. Or if people not open, then Steph don't get the shots. And so you see him making a lot of in-game adjustments. And you brought this to my attention, how people prepare game plans for Steph. And so that's, you know, to switch your style up in the middle of the game to be effective, right? A lot of great, like only the greats can do it, but it's hard.
Mm-hmm.
Absolutely. To have that relief, to be able to sit on the bench and say, oh, okay, now I know when I get in, all I gotta do is a little bit more mid-range to the hole. Like seeing Steph play not just 3-point basketball, but mid-range, getting to the hole, rebounding. He playing, he playing like he playing in his Jordan era.
Yeah.
Right? These last few games he been in his Jordan era where it's like, I wanna play winning basketball. And I can see that. I can feel that watching you guys.
100%. Everybody on the same type of time, falling in line. I told the guys after the Lakers game, I said, yo, listen, that second half, we don't do moral victories around here, but this is about to look different now with Jimmy coming here. I told the guys, I said, "This about to look different." Him and Steph, Jimmy's locker was right here. Jimmy wasn't there, but then Steph was right here. I was like, "So listen, this is what we on. We gonna follow these two guys." I promise you, if we follow these two guys, we gonna get there.
Promise." Yep.
And from that point, the bar has been raised and you can feel it. Everyone around feels it.
Mm-hmm.
Right. And it's what we needed. Jimmy, like I said, Jimmy on that same type of time is good. I like it. Calling all college basketball fans. I have some must-watch TV for you. In two exciting new docuseries, Vice Sports will follow legendary head coaches Arkansas' John Calipari and St. John's Rick Pitino as they lead their teams through the ups and downs, triumphs and trials of this long competitive college basketball season.
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Tune in each week. Check the link in the bio for where to watch Vice TV. Before we get more into this episode, I want to let y'all know what else we'll be talking about. More insight on playing with my new Golden State Warrior teammate Jimmy Butler III. And I put quotation marks and an emphasis on the third. Jimmy's first game with us was the one-year anniversary of the passing of his father, which—
Oh wow.
In Chicago where he started his career.
Amazing.
Draymond Green had that game that he had. So put an emphasis on 3rd. Um, saying goodbye to Wiggs. Uh, yeah, you know, winning a championship with Wiggs. I think Wiggs has been here for 6 years. Um, yeah, 6 years, man. And, you know, to see him go, all that always sucks. That is the business. Uh, DS, Kyle, Lindy, those guys.
Yep.
Uh, it's been a lot going on around the league also. Luka's first game with the Lakers. So make sure you hit that subscribe button so you don't miss any of the episodes.
That's right. Follow the show on all social media platforms @DraymondGreenShow so you don't miss any of these, I mean, huge announcements, right? Steve Kerr talked about Jimmy's passing and how he was hitting you with some nice passes in the Bucks game. Are you surprised with that part of his game?
You know what? I'm not surprised because Jimmy's a guy who, you know, all his career has gotten triple doubles. He's always been a willing passer, can always pass the hell outta the ball. And so I'm not surprised at all. And I'm telling you, another thing that Jimmy does is teams going in that zone, Jimmy go to the middle of the zone now.
He go right in the middle of the zone, sit right there.
He hitting me with some backdoor passes, working the dunker. He hitting guys for threes. But most importantly, he turned around and shoot the little mini.
The fadeaway.
Right, and so you every option with Jim.
That was my role. Yeah, that was my role with Nelly in the zone. Get in the middle of the zone, right underneath the elbow. They can't do nothing about it. You one dribble away from a layup, fadeaway. Dunk, ghost person, outlet.
Yeah.
I like that. I like his basketball IQ is like, y'all just automatically sync, man.
Yeah, his basketball IQ is top tier. Top tier. I've been learning from him these, just these past few days and couple games playing. Like you just hear different things he say. He's so locked in, bro. Like he locked, locked in and he's smart. So I'm, I'm happy to have the opportunity to learn from a guy like Jimmy. But I'm not surprised at all by the passing. I know he a great passer, but I tell you what I did. He came to the sideline yesterday and he had passed up a shot and he was like, "I should have shot that." I said, "Brother, let me tell you something. This team don't need your passing at all." What this team need is you to score. Like we need you to go score 25 or 30 points. You're a great passer. Like Steph. So you're naturally gonna see the pass when it's there. But we need you to think shoot first, score first, 25, 30 points. Like that's what we need you to be. He was like, all right. He went back out there, foul, get fouled, bucket, and one. That's what we need, bro. We need you to be that.
Yeah, you need Miami Jimmy. And shout out to the Heat for that type of basketball and the way he played that basketball fits directly into what you guys need because he can, he can be the playmaker, but him being aggressive on the offensive end is all one-on-one matchups.
Yeah.
He get more one-on-one matchups than any dude I know, uh, any superstar I know in the league, right? And his is always 15 feet away from the basket, catch, 2 dribbles, get in the paint. You know, he is tough to guard.
Yes, he is.
One-on-one when he is below the free throw line.
You know what, something I wanna throw out there about Jimmy also, and just what you just said about Miami Heat Jimmy, the dopest thing about that to me is we actually do need Miami Heat Jimmy. And I think every day he's figuring that out more and more, which is fine.
Yeah.
Because we, We here at this place, we encourage you, be exactly who you are, bro. Like, don't come here and try to like, oh, I need to—
Yeah.
Like, be exactly who you are. And I think he's figuring that out each day. Everybody like, no, just go. Like, go shot.
Yeah.
Nope, just go. And he's figuring that out more and more. But I'm gonna tell you the dopest thing about that whole dynamic. Like, he is about to be here and be the Miami Heat Jimmy for sure. I'm gonna tell you the dopest thing about that to me is, the lack of insecurity of Steph Curry.
Right.
Just like, "Oh yeah, come on, bro." Like—
Yeah, Steph on the party. Open arms.
Like, so many people will lack the self-confidence in themselves to be in that position that Steph Curry in and have another alpha, like number one option, like Jimmy come in and be like, "Oh yeah, bro. Like, go do your thing. Like, it's cool." Like, that is the power of Steph Curry, man.
I look at it like this. Steph is the DJ. He want to party, right? Now you got Draymond, Draymond security making sure nobody mess with the DJ and nobody get outta line. Now you got Jimmy and then Steph play the music. Jimmy can dance to any rhythm or song.
Absolutely.
So now you got, You got the party promoter, you got your security, and you got your DJ. And like, man, and you know, that mechanism of Steph wanting to party, meaning, you know, he encourages success.
Yes.
Right? He encourages happiness. He needs that. He needs everyone else to do their job and someone else to do extra work to take some pressure off of him.
