San Francisco — Golden State Warriors wing jimmy butler Tore season-ending right ACL on Monday night win 135-112 Above Miami HeatSources told ESPN’s Shams Charania, effectively putting the future direction of the franchise into question.
Butler’s injury occurred at 7:41 of the third quarter. He jumped to take an entry pass in the middle of the paint and collided with the Heat guard davian mitchellAnd his right knee appeared to buckle upon landing, sending him sprawling across the court in pain.
Butler remained down for a few minutes as his teammates surrounded him in a stunned Chase Center. He was eventually hoisted to his feet and slowly carried to the locker room, unable to put weight on his right leg while laughing with nearby officials that he was owed two free throws.
“He was out there telling jokes even when he was on the field,” the Warriors guard said. Stephen Curry Said. “In true Jimmy fashion, no matter the situation, he always has a good time.”
As soon as Butler reached the bench area, his teammates buddy heald And Jonathan Kuminga He put his arms around his shoulders and helped carry him down the tunnel to a wheelchair near the locker room entrance.
Butler left the field to undergo an MRI on his right knee, which confirmed a torn ACL, sources told ESPN, a devastating blow to a team that Warriors coach Steve Kerr described as “concerned” and “downtrodden” while awaiting news about one of his leaders.
The injury comes as the surging Warriors (25-19) have won 12 of their last 16 games, beginning a climb back up the standings thanks to Butler’s recent performance.
Butler, 36, entered Monday averaging 21.3 points on 53% shooting in January. He scored 17 points in 21 minutes against his former team before the injury.
Butler was transferred from the Heat to the Warriors in February 2025, and a two-year extension worth $111 million was agreed upon to finalize the deal.
In his first few weeks with the Warriors, Butler transformed them from lottery consideration to postseason threat and then helped them advance to the second round of the playoffs in May. This gave some internal confidence that they still had enough gas for the final contention in the Curry era.
Despite some teamwide inconsistencies this season, Butler has been steady and productive as Curry’s co-star, averaging 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists while appearing in 38 of the team’s 44 games and recently stepped up his play during a 12-4 season.
But Butler’s presence is now lost, and the Warriors, already looking for reinforcements before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, will need to reevaluate where everything stands for this aging core. Butler is making $54.1 million this season and $56.8 million next season, the final year of his deal.
