Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn right ACL injury in Monday’s 135-112 win over the Miami Heat.
The 36-year-old’s agent, Bernie Lee, confirmed to ESPN’s Anthony Slater on Tuesday that the veteran forward was diagnosed with an ACL tear after undergoing an MRI.
The devastating injury occurred at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter after Butler caught an entry pass in the paint and went down awkwardly following a collision with Heat guard Davion Mitchell, leaving him sprawled on the court.
He was unable to put any weight on his right leg and needed team-mates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to help him off court and to the locker room.
A major setback for Dub Nation
This marks a major setback to the Warriors’ campaign and their hopes of making a deep play-off run, as Butler is one of their key players on both sides of the court.
The six-time All-Star is one of the team’s offensive engines behind Stephen Curry, averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 37 games.
He also contributes on the defensive end, bringing a high-IQ and aggressive presence that allows the team to limit opponents, working alongside Draymond Green as a defensive anchor.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressed disappointment over what happened, saying he feels “terrible” that Butler has suffered a season-ending injury after playing his best basketball in recent weeks.
“He’s having a great year. I felt like the last couple of weeks, he’s really at the top of his game.
“So, for him and for us, obviously, for him individually, in the middle of a really great season with a lot of possibilities, a lot of excitement with the team, the way we’re playing, I just feel terrible for him,” he said.
Warriors to rely on team’s depth, young core
However, Kerr vowed the Warriors would continue to fight despite Butler’s absence, relying on their depth and young core.
He added: “I think we’re well-equipped with our depth to continue to play at a high level. We’ve got depth, so we can keep this thing going.
“Obviously, we’ll miss Jimmy, he’s one of the best players in the league, so we can’t minimise that.”
The situation also opens the door for Jonathan Kuminga to return to the rotation.
The forward has not seen NBA action since December 18 and has fuelled trade speculation as the deadline nears.
ESPN’s Slater reported that the 23-year-old remained professional despite the uncertainty and is prepared to re-enter the rotation, marking a notable development as the Warriors recalibrate their plans.
“I’ve already been given indications that today they are exploring the idea of restarting the engines, entering Jonathan Kuminga potentially back into the rotation,” he said.
The plan also fuels hope that the fractured relationship between Kuminga and Kerr may be repaired to salvage the season and avoid wasting another year of Curry’s NBA career.
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Butler remains optimistic
As the Warriors try to hold the fort during Butler’s absence, the veteran forward remained optimistic, posting a “general soreness” meme on Instagram and writing that he will “be back before you know it.”
The post garnered over 8,000 likes, with fans commenting that they hope Butler will bounce back and return stronger than ever.
However, questions remain about the Warriors’ short-term future, with the team climbing the stacked Western Conference after winning 12 of their past 16 games to enter the play-in tournament picture.
Butler was traded from the Heat to the Warriors in February 2025 and agreed to a two-year, $11 million extension, helping the Dubs transform from a lottery team into a play-off contender.
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