Jimmy Butler: The Golden State Warriors will play the rest of the NBA season with a torn ACL
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Butler, 36, suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 135-112 win over the Miami Heat on Monday.
His agent Bernie Lee confirmed the news statement to ESPN,, external calling it a “kick in the gut” to Butler and the Warriors team.
After a mixed start to the season, the Warriors have won 12 of their last 16 games and are eighth in the Western Conference with a 25-19 record.
The top six teams in each conference qualify directly for the playoffs, and teams ranked seventh through tenth compete in a play-in tournament.
Butler’s injury leaves the Warriors with a decision on how to approach the rest of the season and the market before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Led by coach Steve Kerr and star point guard Stephen Curry, the Warriors have won four NBA titles since 2015, but have been a losing force since their last championship win in 2022.
The Warriors acquired Butler from the Heat in February 2025 to give Curry, 37, a star teammate to support another championship bid, but now must consider whether to seek additional signings or rebuild for the future.
However, Lee is confident that six-time All-Star Butler, who is under contract with the Warriors until the end of the 2026-27 season, will recover from this injury and win his first NBA title.
“I’ve known for over 10 years that Jimmy was going to win a championship before he was done,” Lee said. “My belief in that is unshakable.
2026-01-20 18:57:00
