What looked like a tense moment on the Golden State Warriors’ bench earlier this week has quickly turned into a non-issue — at least in the eyes of Jimmy Butler.
During Monday’s showdown between the Warriors and the Orlando Magic, emotions boiled over between Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr. The exchange escalated enough that Green left the bench and never returned to action, sitting out the final 20 minutes of the game. It was a rare public flare-up between two longtime pillars of the Warriors’ dynasty.
Both sides, however, were quick to address the incident. Green admitted postgame that he needed space to cool off, while Kerr took responsibility for the situation, later calling it not his “finest hour,” according to NBC Sports. The two also apologized to each other and to the rest of the team.
Just as importantly, Green avoided any suspension and was available for Golden State’s Christmas Day showdown against the Dallas Mavericks.
Jimmy Butler Speaks Out on Draymond Green-Steve Kerr Incident
That game ended in a 126-116 win for the Warriors, and it was after that contest that Butler weighed in on the Green-Kerr situation.
When asked about the heated exchange, the veteran forward brushed off any concern, framing it as a natural byproduct of competitiveness, especially between two figures who have shared years of success.
To Butler, disagreements like that are expected. As long as the team moves forward, he sees no problem at all. In fact, Butler went a step further. When pressed about the yelling and Green walking away mid-game, he made it clear he actually appreciated the intensity.
“I like that,” Butler said candidly. “Y’all yell at each other. Turned me on a little bit. I’m not gonna lie. I like that. I like their confrontation. It’s good for us.”
Green backed up the message on the court against Dallas, starting and logging 28 minutes while posting seven points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal. More importantly, the Warriors looked unified, showing no lingering effects from the earlier dust-up.
With the incident firmly in the rearview mirror, Kerr and Green appear aligned once again as Golden State pushes to regain contender status. And if Butler’s reaction is any indication, the Warriors fire isn’t something their teammates are losing sleep over.
