Steve Kerr drops blunt take on Warriors' 'goal' after Jimmy Butler trade

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Getting to and winning in the playoffs is all that matters to the Golden State Warriors at this stage of Stephen Curry’s career. That is why general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and this front office were super aggressive ahead of the NBA trade deadline, ultimately striking a deal with the Miami Heat for six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler.

Through two games with Butler, the Warriors are playing with a lot more energy and they have been a completely different team for the better on offense. Golden State has won both games with Butler so far, averaging 128.5 points per game and shooting about 47 percent from the floor as a team.

Although this season has not gone according to plan for Steve Kerr and the Warriors, the goal of making the playoffs remains the same. Not only does Kerr envision this team making the playoffs, but he still sees avoiding the play-in tournament as a realistic path for Curry, Butler, and this roster.

After picking up a 125-111 road win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the Warriors’ head coach made it clear what the team’s goal is for the remaining 29 games in the regular season: “Sixth seed is the goal.”

It is certainly not wishful thinking by Kerr or the Warriors to think they can fly up the Western Conference standings and make a legitimate run at an actual playoff spot outside of the play-in tournament.

Back-to-back wins have Golden State at 27-26 overall this season and occupying the 10-seed in the West. They are currently tied with the Sacramento Kings and a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the standings. Although the West is top-heavy with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies, and Denver Nuggets running away with things, the middle tier of teams is vulnerable.

Only 2.5 games separate the Warriors from the 6-seeded LA Clippers, making it a very real possibility that Curry and Co. can go on a run and make the playoffs without having to use up energy and minutes in the play-in region of the standings.

Jimmy Butler’s fit with Warriors

Even though many questioned Butler’s fit with the Warriors when they acquired him ahead of the trade deadline, the veteran star has really done his best to fit in with his new team.

Steph is such a unique talent in the sense that he can play with any type of star talent around him, especially those who can create opportunities for themselves and others. Throughout his entire career, Butler has proven to be an all-around playmaker who can wear many different hats on the court.

While he was always known to be the top-scoring option in Miami, Butler has looked very comfortable playing that No. 2 role next to Curry that the Warriors have been searching for.

In his first game with Golden State, Butler recorded 25 points, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal in a 132-111 win over the Bulls. He followed up this performance with 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals on Monday against the Bucks — a vintage Jimmy Butler performance filling up the stat sheets.

Butler is simply comfortable playing any role his team needs of him at this point in his career. Steph has looked great now that he has another star around him, and Butler is once again finding the joy that he lost in Miami over the last year. That is what makes the Warriors such a dangerous team heading into and coming out of the All-Star break.

Some may think that Kerr is being overzealous with his 6-seed goal, but the possibility that the Warriors could surpass this expectation is very real. The Kings, Dallas Mavericks, and Minnesota Timberwolves all face questions right now. The Clippers and Houston Rockets have also been inconsistent at times. There is a path to the Warriors rising in the standings, and these are the teams they will be looking to surpass.

The Dubs’ most important stretch of the season approaches. Over the next four games, they will play the Mavs (twice), Rockets, and Kings. These results will directly impact the Warriors’ chances of achieving Kerr’s goal.

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