In 2025-26, the Golden State Warriors were built for the playoffs and pacing their way through the regular season. Unfortunately, their championship ambitions went up in flames when star wing Jimmy Butler went down with a torn ACL on Jan. 19.
Suddenly, the 25-19 Warriors became an absolute non-factor as they went 12-26 the rest of the way. Steve Kerr's take on the injury: An opportunity to put those results in reverse, to some degree, in 2026-27.
It's hardly hyperbolic to state that Golden State needs Butler if it's going to win a championship in 2026-27. There's an aging core and a lack of ideal depth, which shrinks the margin of error for the stars. Unfortunately, Butler isn't expected to return until somewhere around February. The good news is that Kerr already has a positive view on that otherwise unfortunate truth.
According to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Kerr views Butler's injury as something of an opportunity in the sense that the Warriors could put the 2025-26 season in reverse come 2026-27.
"I'm almost looking at this like this could be the exact opposite of last season," Kerr said. "We get Jimmy back around February instead of losing him in February. So, what's our job? Lay the best foundation, best platform for success before that, that can put us in a good position where we've got momentum, and all of a sudden, we're adding him with the playoffs coming a couple months later. I think the plan is there."
It's an admittedly ambitious take, but Kerr's comments on Butler are both intriguing and relatively fair when one considers what the 2026-27 season could hold.
"We get Jimmy back around February instead of losing him in February"
It should be noted that Butler is 37 years old and coming off of an injury that has been known to alter careers. In saying that, players have recovered from torn ACL injuries and returned to a star-caliber level on a far more regular basis than ever before.
Working with that optimism as a driving force behind their ambition, Kerr's view on Butler's return actually carries a degree of merit and logic.
If Golden State is simply in a decent place when Butler returns, their rotation could conceivably take a massive step forward in quality. Butler isn't just a good player, but a five-time All-NBA honoree and six-time All-Star who has led two teams to the NBA Finals this decade.
Pairing Butler, a known big-game player, with Stephen Curry, arguably the most feared closer in basketball to this day, gives Golden State a chance against just about anyone.
Can Warriors really flip the 2025-26 script like Steve Kerr says?
There are hurdles to overcome, including the fact that the Warriors still have a relatively old core by NBA standards. In saying that, Golden State added a potential impact player in rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who has been a standout player for the team during the preseason.
Brandin Podziemski is also one year more experienced, while Gui Santos stepped up late in the 2025-26 season for the Warriors and has the momentum to produce a career year in 2026-27.
Throw in the fact that De'Anthony Melton is finally entering a Warriors season with good health and there could be a path to an at least respectable mid-season record. If that proves to be the case, and the likes of Curry, Draymond Green, and Al Horford produce strong and healthy years, then the Warriors should at least be able to stay above or in the range of .500.
From there, the Warriors could get more than just Butler back during the season. Ideally, both Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis will be making mid-season returns of their own.
If these chips all fall in an ideal manner, then the Warriors could steadily improve throughout the year by virtue of simply getting three of their best players back along the way. Butler is perhaps the most important, but three separate in-season boosts can't be downplayed in significance.
No one will get on their soapbox and call the Warriors championship favorites, but a healthy Butler, Curry, and Green would certainly give Golden State a chance in any series.
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