Jimmy Butler Set to Miss Start of Next Season

Jimmy Butler is set to start next season on the sidelines while he recovers from a torn ACL injury. The Golden State Warriors will have to open without their 6-time All-Star, and the absence could stretch into 30-40 games before he is back in action.

Butler’s Warriors impact

Since arriving last February, Butler has been the difference between a Warriors team that functions with him and one that slips without him. That split is why his recovery now carries so much weight for Golden State’s opening months.

Butler is 36 and makes nearly $57 million, which narrows the room for the Warriors if they try to add another high-scoring piece while waiting for him to return. By the time he is available again, it could be nearly 12 months from the injury, and even then he would still need time to ramp back up.

Steve Kerr’s backcourt choice

Marcus Thompson II laid out the task facing Steve Kerr’s team: “They have to find somebody Steve Kerr trusts enough to put the ball in their hands, but they also got to be able to go get you 25, 30.” That is the problem Golden State has to solve before Butler is ready.

He also described Butler as “a devastating match up in a series,” while adding, “but you got to get to the series. That's what you need.” The Warriors can lean on Butler when the games matter most, but the early season now requires a different scorer and a different primary option.

That leaves Golden State with a clear opening stretch assignment: cover the minutes and the scoring Butler usually supplies until the New Year, then manage the return window as he works back from the torn ACL. For a team that has been better with him on the floor, the first 30-40 games may shape how much pressure remains once he is cleared.