The Warriors have yet to officially confirm reports from late Monday night indicating that Jimmy Butler has suffered a torn ACL, but the star forward and his agent both tacitly acknowledged on Tuesday that those reports are accurate.
Butler’s initial response was brief and relatively lighthearted, given the circumstances. In an Instagram post featuring an edited photo of Butler wearing a military uniform with the caption “General Soreness,” he wrote, “Be back before you know it.”
The statement that Bernie Lee, Butler’s agent, provided to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link) was more sober and more in-depth, but Lee also attempted to look on the bright side of the lengthy recovery period facing the six-time All-Star.
“Obviously a gut punch on every level for Jimmy and the entire group, but I firmly believe that this is a part of the journey and we can’t only expect to take the good things out of it,” Lee said. “We’ve watched life happen to countless others and now it’s his turn to face this. It’s how life works.
“I’ve known for over 10 years now that Jimmy is going to win a championship before he is done. My belief in that is unwavering.
“I’ve watched Jimmy support and uplift and change the lives of countless people, including my own and now is a time for people to rally around him and offer him that same support, which we will. We will make some functional decisions here in the next few days and then we are onto the next. If you know anything about Jimmy you know exactly how he will attack this challenge. Put simply, he has this.”
Here’s more on Butler and the Warriors:
- With role players like De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford playing their best basketball of the season as of late, the Warriors had become increasingly confident about their chances of emerging as a contender if they could stay healthy, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Instead, Amick writes, Butler’s injury could put a dagger into what head coach Steve Kerr recently referred to as a “fading dynasty.”
- With league-wide interest in Jonathan Kuminga at an apparent all-time low, Amick suggests that the fifth-year forward could help himself and the Warriors if he’s called upon to return to the rotation with Butler out. A strong couple weeks could increase the number of suitors in play for Kuminga and boost the odds that he gets his much-desired change of scenery while also putting Golden State in position to make a more favorable deal.
- In a story examining what’s next for the Warriors after Butler’s injury, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints says that all options will be on the table for the front office, including the possibility of trading Butler.
- In case you missed it, we published a Community Shootaround discussion post this morning about the next steps in Golden State.
Jimmy has been a baller. Won’t be easy to come back from at his age, good luck Jimmy.
I am glad he got that 1 yr extension from Warriors. He earned it.
It’s actually a valuable expiring contract for trade purposes next year genius
It actually should be doable for him to come back from this. His offensive game is relatively ground-bound. He doesn’t make highlight plays. The only really issue, in my opinion, would be his mobility on defense. Having that many miles on your body, with that type of injury, may affect his overall movement but, with his general knowledge of how to play in the NBA, he should still be effective.
warriors have seen this before. Everyone is different and you never know how someone bounces back. klay was a fantastic defender too and the clock is ticking real quick for Steph. Warriors dont need effective, they need Jimmy Buckets.
Who said anything about “What the Warriors need”?
Your statement was that it won’t be easy for him to come back from this injury, at his age.
You did, when you implied Jimmy just need be effective. This after you said…..actually Jimmy should be doable as far as coming back. Kinda contradicts you saying it will effect this and that part of his game, no.. Effective on that coin….good luck with that.
You’re overthinking it, dude. All I said was that he may be able to resume his career with little to no difference in his overall play. You need to relax.
which is exactly what I said until you came in with well actually, while you agreed. ppffft
We were not saying the same thing. If you believe that, you don’t understand syntax. But I’m either speaking to a child or someone that has yet to mature. Either way, your rebuttals bore me. Off you go, little one.
Faded Dynasty
Add whatever qualifiers you want. The key word there is “Dynasty”.
The active word is faded
It’s better have one than never having one.
That’s why we all have to endure your unending reliving of the past
Says the Kings fans. Your past aren’t even worth reliving.
Crap franchise.
Yet I’m happier than these homers who can’t talk about the NBA because their franchise, to them, is bigger than the game.
I’d take 100 years of suffering over whatever disillusionment these people have succumbed to following one of the best runs in the games history.
If you think none or Sacramento’s history is worth reliving, then you aren’t a fan of the game. Plain and simple.
Something that was forced upon me is absent from large swaths of fanbases. You could be next. Remember that.
You can ride JK at SF this year …….
You can trade JK for picks young talent. And tank for a better pick in a solid lottery. And come back next year deeper with young talent.
This is why you take Raynaud lol …..
Two options ………. with Kuminga. Be glad you can make them.
Nobody is offering up picks for Kuminga.
Only haters think that ….. I agree he has underachieved. I say Warriors had something to do with it. Fact is we agree he should be better. So at 22 yrs old. He has put up in 22 mins
12.5 pts, 4.2 reb, 2 ast, 33% 3pt, 56% 2pt, 70% FT
This is with inconsistent mins. And emotional distress. In other words terrible management. And yet you avg this out over 36 mins. You have a potential starter. With good management and consistent mins. You can have a special player.
Deni before he got to Blazers had worse numbers. Another mismanaged player. But ofc why would you have faith in JK. Right now is when you should have the most faith.
Only one team made an offer for Kuminga. The Kings were only willing to offer a protected 1st. Now, they won’t offer that.
Suns, Kings, Bulls, Nets, Heat all made offers. Undervalued offers. Yeah no one wants him I agree…. Truth is Warriors need him more than ever now.
Don’t forget that, last playoffs, Western Semifinals against the Wolves, JK went from DNP CD in the play in game (and I think that even in some games in the 1st round), to 20.8 ppg in 30 mpg, from one day to another. Including 30 point outings, and leading the team in scoring, with Steph out.
The last four games (all.the losses, all the games without Curry) he averaged 24.2 points per game. Proven performance when called upon in the playoffs. Even going from DNP-CD to 30+ mpg and 1st/2nd offensive option for the team the entire series
Warriors fans don’t care about him. They think he is the reason for all thats wrong. Have no clue about him.
Only haters think that?
Adapting their language now? Please don’t tell me you think everything is Kerr’s fault too…
No …. To be honest most of my criticisms here. Has been about the way they treated JK, Wiseman. And not getting a rim protector. Only their fans can’t have an adult disagreement. So they get out of hand. Kerr and management are at fault here. Cause a 22 yr old shouldn’t dictate how a Franchises view talent. JK has to take responsibility for his growth too. We should let them grow up. And not expect things from them. Their growth and development is on team. They benefit most from that. All they do here is blame JK for the Warriors demise ….
As a sixers fan I hate it for Butler. I miss him on the sixers
There will be several takers of Butler’s contract. It will be very interesting 2 weeks.
Zion, LBJ, AD are all back in play. The dark horse ia Memphjs with Morant and Jackson. Who knows, maybe Utah too. All the rebuilding teams would want Warriors picks.
Warriors have a zero percent chance of landing anyone in that group for 1.5 years and 75 million of 40 year old, singular knee, dead weight. There is absolutely no precedent in history for that to happen.
Get off that pipe …….. what it is about reality y’all don’t get ????
Agreed. Giannis is too – Jimmy’s injury changes nothing, my originally stated package of Kuminga+Green+Hield+3 FRP+pick swaps for Giannis and his brother is still alive.
Get well soon Himmy !
Try and stay off those poker tables much as ya can my man
Womp womp warriors crew
Would you be happy if people comment making fun of Sabonis injury
Where’s Purvis Short when you need him!?!?
Terrible news. Jimmy get well player 🙏
Injuries are part of the game. Sucks when it happens to your team. When you refuse to have a rim protector on your team. You have added pressure on other players to do the dirty work. Work that bigs should do. If you think this doesn’t wear on players. Then you don’t understand The physicality of the NBA. Real bigs that know how to play game. Save the rest of team from doing tge dirty work. The banging for rebounds. Setting picks. Offensive rebounding. Protecting the paint. Watching the teams back ………. There is no reason in the Universe. Why every NBA team shouldn’t carry a rim protector on a 15 man roster.
Uh…Wrong end of the floor.
Yeah it only happens cause of offense. Learn what Jimmy does on the floor. How much extra cause of no rim protection. You think they only exert energy on one side. Geeez lol
He was about to score when the injury happened. So, lack of Heat rim protection.
No injury is about one play. 80% are about accumulation of playing. He already had issues with his knee. Believe what you want. Don’t expect me to.
ACL tears are traumatic injuries. Arthritis is about longterm wear and tear.
You think a 36 yr old only gets injured on a freak accident. Why you think we don’t play anymore. This is what it means to invest in older players. When you expect results from them. And don’t back them up to make playing easier. It’s called protecting your investment. In my world you protect your top players. Especially when they have aged. The way you do that. Is by managing mins. And getting younger players do the dirty work. A rim protector is the most helpful in this. Believe what you want. In sports you protect your talent. Like they protect QBs ……. That’s what I do.
One man down, next man up ……
I have always told you JK best position is the 3 a SF. Now he has the chance to play it for Warriors. And help them in playoffs. Not like he will save your season. But he will help make it better. At same time he helps himself and his value. Makes him more attractive for a trade next year.
No reason to trade him now. I don’t know if his relationship with Kerr is irreconcilable. They both need each other now. So I would think the team comes FIRST. Without Jimmy you need him to fill that role. I always said he could be another Jimmy Butler. Now he can really do that. Avg 20 and play good D 30-32 mins a gm. He can save Warriors season.
Part of the logical reason of Kuminga’s DNP’s is that he plays the same spot as Jimmy. Of course low IQ Kerr plays Moody out of position at that spot in the starting lineup tonight….
Scottie Barnes literally had 25 rebounds with no Kuminga, his regular opponent getting DNP’d. If there was ever a game to play JK, it’s this one. Kuminga literally leads the team in rebounds per game. He would prevent Barnes from grabbing THAT many boards again.
I feel for Jimmy. When he did the famous press conference where he posted his phone number to call him. As a joke me and my friends added him to our group chat and fantasy basketball league. He obviously took last place. The league fee was 20 dollars. I tweeted him that when he posted his number he was signed up for our fantasy league and he owed 20 dollars. His agent messaged me and asked for my address. He sent us a jersey game used shoes signed and 20 dollars. I gave all the items to the league winner and runner up. A really awesome memory. Ill always root for Jimmy.
That’s awesome. I didn’t realize he gave his phone number at a press conference. I would’ve done the exact same thing as you did.
In fact, one season, I traded for him and was so happy the trade was accepted that I had immediately changed my team name to “Eilat (my hometown) Butlers”.
I was a huge bulls fan at the time I even saw all of his summer league and preseason games of his rookie year, and I knew he would be good after he had a game winner at the buzzer in the last summer league game to win the cup. So I’m surprised I didn’t know about that press conference up until now.
Its was he went to Minnesota
Jimmy is such a legend, I love him on GSW even though he and Draymond’s game overlapped too much.
Let’s see how braindead Kerr is now. Kuminga is an obvious piece to replace Butler in the lineup as they play very similar styles.
If kerr continues to keep him as CD DNPs because he has such a weak ego and can’t admit when he makes a mistake then Kerr is just cementing his legacy as one of the most overrated coaches in the history of the NBA
Nope! Of course the braindead Kerr plays Moody at SF, a position he is not good at. Moody is a GREAT shooting guard, and a mediocre, too-small small forward. Everyone can see this, although some incorrectly call Moody’s entire game bad when that’s half-wrong, Moody at the 2 next to Steph is a winning combo. Moody at the 3 is…more small ball…that plays zero defense…and loses…