Generations will tell the legend of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, probably until doomsday strikes.
They were never just teammates, but a feeling, a rhythm in motion, a spark that made the Bay believe in magic. However, when Klay left, it didn’t feel real at first. Then it hit. Like a quiet echo where a roar used to be. Steph looked different. Not broken, just… missing a part of himself. You see, every Batman needs a Robin to go to war with. But just when the heartbreak felt too heavy, two massive $131-million swings came crashing in. First, Buddy Hield, then Jimmy Butler.

They aren’t here to fill Klay’s shoes, but to write a new kind of story. One the Bay wasn’t ready for—but maybe needed all along. Just when Thompson bid his farewell to Chase Center, Buddy walked in. In the 2024 offseason, a six-team sign-and-trade landed the sharpshooter a 2-year, $21 million contract. The primary target was to pair him with Curry on the court, but to be fair, it wasn’t enough.

Then came Mr. Playoffs- Jimmy Butler, $110 million, 2-year contract, and oh the fire he brought with himself! Jimmy brought back hope, Jimmy brought back the light that looked dim. Playoffs seemed far-fetched, but now? After that insane first game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Tuesday, you can truly say that the Warriors have a new pair of Batman and Robin. Or, Robin and Alfred?

Steph went down early with a hamstring strain, and just like that, the Warriors were in trouble. Sure, they led 44-31 at halftime, but without their captain, it felt shaky. Then came the twist. Buddy Hield caught fire, dropping 24, while the squad rallied behind him. The final? 99-88. But the real show was Draymond Green’s postgame mic drop. He called Jimmy Butler the Batman of the night, and Hield his second banana. Classic Warriors chaos. And somehow, it worked. “Robin turned into Batman,” Green said, referring to Butler. “What y’all call Buddy? Alfred turned into Robin, and they filled in.”

Hey, wait, how do you even expect that Butler and his ‘Buttered’ (well, that’s Buddy’s full name, according to Jimmy) would agree with Green’s verdict? Therefore, sitting before the media in the postgame presser, Hield gave his response just after shutting down his banter-partner with a series of “no no no.” The 32-year-old shooter declared: “I’m Batman today, I saved the day. He’s still Robin.” Butler didn’t waste a minute and replied, “Well, I’m still Robin, yes. And Steph’s still Batman and Buttered is still who he is.” To be fair, Buddy isn’t a fan of being called ‘Buttered’; however, he doesn’t seem to have too many options to bypass it now.

This chemistry feels unreal; out-of-this-world might be a better way to put it. Even with Steph and Klay, who spent more than a decade as teammates, they might not have what Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield share. But then, they clicked almost immediately, whereas it took the Splash Bros three seasons to strike a conversation. Now, interestingly enough, Butler admitted that he’s gotten his joy back when the Warriors pinned the Rockets in Game 4. Addressing that matter with the media, ‘Buttered’ said, “We had to make sure he got his joy back cuz he somehow ‘lost his joy’.”

But that’s not where these two stars stopped, of course not! Luckily, there were no thumpings on the stage on Tuesday. But a whole lot of back and forth and laughter filled the room. This is exactly what the Hield-Butler duo channel on the court; this is the chemistry that, although not as non-verbal as Klay and Steph’s, brings the flames alive. Now, Buddy had a wardrobe malfunction that delayed the game in the first quarter. A wrong pair of shorts. Seriously? But who is to be blamed? No one but Jimmy. “That was Jimmy’s fault. Jimmy switched it out, and that’s what happens. I was looking for my shorts, and I thought that was the right one, and he said, ‘Put these on,’ and that’s what happened,” Hield told the media. Now, a perplexed Butler replied, “That’s what you’re going with?”

They’re messy and in sync, loud and locked in—a walking contradiction, and yet, it works. This new Warriors duo doesn’t shy away from holding each other accountable, and that honesty? It’s refreshing. It’s not the quiet rhythm Steph and Klay once had. This bond is louder, rawer, and full of sparks. It’s in the playful jabs, the shared looks, the fire they bring when the game gets tight. That’s what’s keeping the Bay’s pulse steady. Because this isn’t just a new chapter.

Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield explain their mid-game banter

The reporters had to point out that Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield go on a back-and-forth even during huddles. There’s no stopping for them, it seems! But then Hield requests the reporters to ask Jimmy why they were going back and forth. What was the need? Was there any need, that is? Butler, who chose not to use the exact words he used in the locker room, said, “When I got a mismatch in the post, don’t cut. Stay on it, stay on the perimeter,” a clear message for ‘Buttered’.

And right then, the banter began, again [*sighs*]. Buddy responded, “If you got a mismatch, and you score the ball…”, “I’m gonna score the ball,” Jimmy interjected. “I can’t score when you cut into my space. You’re a shooter, you’re not even a cutter.” Now, taking you back to the game, Buddy missed a point-blank layup, leaving everyone shocked in the first quarter. Well, to be fair, everyone hoped he’d score that easy bucket. So, taking a jab at this, Jimmy Butler added, “You just saw what happened when you shot a layup in the first quarter. Smokey Robinson, that’s exactly what you did. Use the backboard too.” This left the media laughing and waiting for more such banter.

Jimmy Butler had 20 points and 11 rebounds in Game 1 vs. the Wolves, and Buddy Hield, who truly (Jimmy wouldn’t agree!) turned Batman, chipped in 24 points and 8 rebounds. At the end of the day, the Golden State Warriors shone in Steph Curry‘s absence. And the credit for the hope and wins goes to this power duo of Buddy and Jimmy.

Who knew heartbreak could make room for something this electric? In a world once ruled by the Splash Brothers, it’s now Jimmy and Buddy turning pain into punchlines and wins. They bicker, they banter, they ball out—and the Bay is buzzing again. No capes, no scripts, just pure chaos and chemistry. And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly how legends are born.