The Golden State Warriors are going to miss Jimmy Butler for the start of the season as the former All-Star suffered a torn ACL in January.

Butler went down with the injury on January 19 in a game against the Miami Heat, and then underwent surgery shortly after before beginning his rehab process.

He was averaging 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 51% shooting and 37% from three at the time of his injury.

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Butler is in the middle months and stages of his ACL rehab, and there is good progress in the strength of his knee.

He is still months away from being on an NBA court.

Butler’s reported timeline for a return has been all over the place with some saying that he might be back by Christmas and others saying that he might not be back until February.

Slater noted that Butler is expected to do individual work on the side during the Warriors’ Hawaii training camp and that he is hosting a players-only event in Southern California. Butler hosted a players-only event last year as well.

He just turned 37 and will be entering his 16th season in the league when he returns. Butler has been great for the Warriors when he’s been on the floor, proving to be a strong pairing alongside Steph Curry.

The two haven’t been healthy together when it has mattered, though, with Curry missing the second round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2025 and Butler missing the second half of the season in 2026.

The Warriors are at a crossroads this season as they don’t look like a championship contender on paper, but if they are playing well enough by the trade deadline and have Butler back on the court, they can talk themselves into making a big swing with their draft capital.

Butler has been subject to trade rumors in the offseason, but no deal materialized. He’s on the final year of his contract, and an expiring deal might be tempting for another team looking to free up cap space heading into the offseason.

Butler has never relied on elite athleticism as part of his game, and at age 37, coming off a torn ACL, he’ll have to use his brain and savvy more than ever when he does return to the court.

If Butler can be close to what he’s been since arriving in Golden State, the Warriors could be a sneaky underdog by the time the playoffs roll around.