It's hard to overstate how devastating Jimmy Butler's season-ending ACL injury was for the Golden State Warriors. Just a week ago, it seemed as though they were turning things around. With the right trade deadline acquisition, they could very easily have been pushing for a top-six seed by the end of the season.
Now, however, they are left in a painful limbo. No move they could make at the deadline would truly bring this team into championship contention.
Their only real choice is to wait until Butler returns next season, holding out hope they can construct a title-worthy roster in the meantime and Butler can return to a similar level of performance.
According to Tom Haberstroh, this might not even be a real possibility given Butler's age.
For Golden State, everything will depend on Butler's rehabilitation. That's a scary place to be.
The Warriors may have just lost Jimmy Butler (as they know him) forever
Butler is undeniably one of the toughest and most competitive players in the NBA, at least from a perspective of intensity. If anyone can come back from an injury such as this, it's him.
But Haberstroh lays out a frightening case in explaining why the Warriors should be concerned:
"Do we know that Jimmy Butler's coming back? He's the second-oldest player to have an ACL tear since 2005... I think he does come back, but there is a possibility, a non-zero chance, that [his] career is over."Tom Haberstroh
Butler, at age 36, was still performing at an extremely high level. Through 38 games, he was averaging 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists while shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc. His impact as a defender and a secondary ball-handler in the non-Stephen Curry minutes were absolutely undeniable.
Although there was an obvious downtick in production from his prime, Butler was still a highly impactful player for the Warriors.
Yet an ACL injury is one of the toughest injuries to rebound from. Butler's abiliity to draw contact and get to the rim has remained even as some of his explosiveness has diminished. But Golden State will need Butler back at his full level of athleticism if they want him to play the same role upon his return.
Even if Butler is healthy in time for the start of next season, both Curry and Draymond Green will be a year older. If the health and athleticism of the team's core continues to decline at a rapid rate, the Warriors can kiss their championship hopes goodbye.
The most devastating part is that there is no clear path forward, at least currently, if Butler cannot return to full health.
Golden State has no choice but to hope that Butler proves history wrong.