"Mostly me and Pat Riley": Warriors GM reveals how the Jimmy Butler-Golden State trade shaped up

Golden State Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy has revealed how the Jimmy Butler trade came about after all the buzz surrounding the team's plans to swing for a massive name. The Dubs' acquisition of the veteran forward was one of the blockbuster trades after the LA Lakers landed Luka Doncic in a shocking move.

Speaking on 95.7 The Game, Dunleavy explained how the side worked in the backdrop to acquire Butler, who had earlier made it clear that the Phoenix Suns were his only preferred destination.

"It's mostly me and Pat [Riley]. Those high-level things, you can't get too many people involved. I'm obviously keeping Joe & Kirk in the loop, but those types of deals are pretty small... Like the Luka deal with Dallas, you saw what that was. Only a few people know and that's generally how these things go when you get talking about high-end players and big moves," he said.

Unlike Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who copped major flak for trading his franchise's centerpiece, Dunleavy had praise coming his way for orchestrating a smooth trade. He managed to get Butler for a two-year, $112 million deal that now keeps him in Golden State through the 2026-27 season.

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Mike Dunleavy reveals what he saw in Jimmy Butler

In the same show, Mike Dunleavy also weighed in on what he saw in Jimmy Butler and why it was a key factor in trading for him.

"Well, ironically, when we built out our player development program, he, to me, is the prototype for how player development should go. You draft a guy at the end of the first round, he plays a little bit his rookie year, his second year he takes another step, his third year he takes off and the rest is history. And Jimmy, I saw it firsthand the work he put in on a daily basis, the way he was coached and drilled. It was fun to see," he explained.

Jimmy Butler to the Warriors now elevates them to title contenders — a possibility that was ruled out when the Bay Area side struggled over the last few weeks leading up to the trade. With the team looking to restore parity and make a surge, there's no doubt that the former Heat star will bolster their chances of of making a deep run.