Jimmy Butler gets ‘brutally honest’ with heartfelt Buddy Hield description originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

One thing you can always count on is Jimmy Butler keeping it real — no matter at what cost.

The always honest Warriors star was asked how Buddy Hield continues to bring good vibes to the team despite not playing consistent minutes on the floor.

“It matters. But Buddy is just goofy anyway, whether he’s playing or not, he’s goofy. And I think that’s the consistency that we love. Buddy’s going to be Buddy, and we hope everybody is like that — good, bad or indifferent. You have good days, more good ones than bad ones. But I think Buddy is the most consistent.

“He’s smiling, joking no matter what, his spirit’s always high and we follow suit in that.”

Butler, in his 15th NBA season, has seen and been around all types of different players.

He also is an avid world traveler and enjoys experiencing things outside of basketball, which also has allowed him to be around different types of people and personalities. So while Hield’s spirit is unique to the NBA circumstance, Butler acknowledged that he might know where it comes from.

“Man, you know what? Personally, because I know so many people from the Caribbean, I know so many people that are from Africa, they’re some of the most humble and grateful people to be where they are and to have what they have. That’s Buddy’s background. That’s who Buddy is. I don’t like Buddy, but I really respect Buddy. I do. I really respect Buddy for what he brings every day, as far as smiling, being a great teammate, you know, doing whatever you need him to do.

“And then if you need anything from him off the court or just to hang and just to talk, he actually is a good guy to vent to.”

There it is! Butler almost gave Hield a complete compliment without teasing him.

Almost.

The Warriors (19-17) will continue to need Hield’s contagiously positive vibes as the second half of the 2025-26 NBA season quickly approaches.

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The Yankees reportedly added some infield depth on Sunday morning, agreeing to a deal with veteran Paul DeJong.

DeJong is joining the Yankees on a minor league deal that includes an invite to major league spring training, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

DeJong, 32, began his career by playing seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, earning his lone All-Star appearance in 2019. Since 2023, the infielder has bounced around to a handful of teams, including 57 games with the Washington Nationals in 2025. 

Over the course of nine major league seasons, DeJong has a career slash line of .229/.294/.416 with 146 home runs and 423 RBI. And while he came up as a shortstop, DeJong has played all over the infield, so he’d provide some versatility for a Yankees team that knows shortstop Anthony Volpe likely won’t be ready to start the 2026 regular season.

The Knicks had another abysmal defensive performance on Saturday. 

They allowed the Sixers to hit 47 percent of their three-point shots (36 three-point FGAs). They put up little resistance against Philadelphia’s starters. The trio of VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid combined for 88 points on 62 percent shooting (53 FGAs). 

It was another game in a growing stretch where the Knicks struggled to get stops. 

How does it get fixed?

Maybe it’s as simple as getting Josh Hart and Landry Shamet back in the lineup? 

New York is 2-3 without Hart, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury.  

They have fared well in Shamet’s absence but they look like a team that can use his on-ball defense. 

New York’s point of attack defense has been bad over the past two games. 

If you go back a bit further, they are giving up 122 points per 100 possessions over the past five games. That’s the fourth-worst defensive rating in the NBA. And it’s not a coincidence that the five-game stretch coincides with Hart’s absence. 

The Knicks had Hart in the starting lineup for about a month prior to his injury. In that month, they had the 11^th best defense in the league (113 points allowed per 100 possessions). 

When will Hart be back from his ankle injury? The Knicks said that he will be re-evaluated next Friday. As noted on Honda Sports Night, Hart is expected to return shortly after that re-evaluation, if not sooner. Shamet – out since Nov. 22 with a shoulder sprain – also should be back on the court in the next week. So barring any setbacks, the Knicks should be close to whole again very soon. 

Will Hart and Shamet help straighten them out on defense? Can Mike Brown and defensive coordinator Brendan O’Connor make adjustments that yield better results? 

The answer to those two questions will tell you a lot about this Knicks season. If the Knicks can be serviceable on defense, they have enough depth and talent to play into late May/June. 

If they can’t sort through those defensive issues, the Knicks may fall well short of their goals this spring. 

Jimmy Butler shares sound advice to Jonathan Kuminga as trade deadline looms originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler continues to be a mentor for Jonathan Kuminga both on and off the court.

So as Kuminga continues to maneuver what’s likely to be his impending Warriors divorce, Butler will remain by his side regardless of the outcome. Butler told reporters after the Warriors’ win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday that their relationship hasn’t changed at all despite Kuminga being out of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation lately.

“Same. He better come to my house tonight and eat dinner, play some dominoes,” Butler said (h/t ESPN’s Anthony Slater). “That is my brother, so I care less if you’re out of the rotation. We hang out. That’s my friend, That’s my brother. That’s not going to change.

“Basketball is basketball. I love him like a brother and I wish him the best. And I still see him in here getting his work in, so his mind’s right.”

Kuminga has been benched or played limited minutes over the past few weeks as the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline approaches. Now more than ever, his future with Golden State is uncertain.

The 23-year-old wing can’t be dealt until Jan. 15, and several reports indicate that a move is in the works.

Regardless, that doesn’t change anything for Butler and his relationship with Kuminga.

“That ain’t got nothing to do with me,” Butler said. “I’m still going to call and check on him. I’m still going to go visit him, still go to his house, eat his food and play with his kids. His future, though, that’s between him and whoever else. But the bond and the brotherhood that we’ve built, ain’t no future going to change that.”

Kuminga started the first 12 games of the 2025-26 NBA season, but has played only six times since. He’s averaging 11.3 points on 43.1-percent shooting from the field and 32.0 percent from 3-point range. He hasn’t played in 10 of the past 11 games.

Butler was asked about whether he sees the uncertainty of Kuminga’s future weighing on him.

“Nope. Not at all,” Butler said. “I told JK, you come in here and be a pro of all pros. Come here and get your work done. You smile. You have a good time because you’re still an NBA player. You’re one of the best people in the world and I’m not even talking about basketball. So you keep smiling, you keep being the great human being that you are.”

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