Jimmy Butler has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, and his season is now over for the Golden State Warriors. This is a tragic development in more ways than one. We of course wish Jimmy a speedy recovery, and at the same time it's becoming impossible to deny that the Warriors' worst-case scenario is now unfolding after trading for Butler less than a year ago.
It was February 6, 2025 when Golden State made their trade with the Miami Heat to acquire Butler official. Of course, this was an all-in move from the very start. The Warriors desperately needed a co-star alongside Stephen Curry, especially with Klay Thompson departing the previous offseason. So in that way, getting Jimmy on board made a lot of sense.
But even though this was one of Golden State's only options that made sense, the biggest factor that had the potential to become a large issue from the start was age. Curry was already in the category of "aging star" a year ago, and adding Butler to the mix meant the Warriors were leaning into building their foundation on a couple of guys 35 years old or older.
There was always the potential for it to be a slam dunk of a move. This should be obvious, or the Warriors wouldn't have done it. In an ideal world, Jimmy and Steph would have formed perfect synergy and become one of the league's most unstoppable duos.
Jimmy Butler's injury puts the Warriors in a very tough position
But that's just not how things usually play out when you make these kinds of moves for an older star player. Golden State knew they had to act fast to keep Curry's championship window alive, so they did what they had to and took advantage of a precarious situation in South Florida.
It was the move that made the most sense at the time, not a perfect one. The Warriors knew going in that there was going to be the potential for catastrophic injuries that could derail a season. They accepted that possibility and moved forward doing everything they could to prevent it from becoming reality. But now, the worst outcome possible has come to be.
Jimmy is a fighter, and he's already battled through a plethora of injuries in his career. He would suit up again this season if there was any humanly way he could. But the reality of an ACL injury is that he's not going to return until next season, leaving the Warriors' future murky.
So unfortunately, Golden State now finds itself in a position where they may not be able to recover from the Jimmy Butler trade, at least not easily or very quickly. There are now a ton of questions about where this development leaves the team, and none of us envy the Warriors' decision-makers.