The worst-case scenario is now confirmed.
Jimmy Butler has suffered a season-ending torn right ACL, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania, ending his first full season with the Warriors abruptly and decisively.
Butler went down in the third quarter of Monday’s win over Miami after landing awkwardly on his right knee. The reaction was immediate.
He stayed on the floor, needed help to the locker room, and was unable to put weight on the leg. An MRI followed. The result is the one Golden State feared.
The 36-year-old had been one of the Warriors’ most stabilizing forces, averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists while shooting better than 51 percent from the field in 37 games.
His presence gave Golden State a secondary creator, another late-game option, and a competitive edge. All things he’s been known for at every NBA stop.
Now it’s gone.
The injury not only ends Butler’s season but raises unavoidable questions about next year and beyond.
He is under contract through 2026-27 and owed more than $110 million over this season and next, making the recovery timeline and long-term outlook central issues for the organization.
The Warriors won the game Monday night.
They lost something far bigger.
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