Jimmy Butler Sends First Message After Season-Ending Injury

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 11:49 AM ET

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee during a game against the Miami Heat, an injury that was confirmed by an MRI following the contest. Butler went down in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 135-112 victory, clutching his knee after landing awkwardly while going for a pass.

The injury abruptly ended his 2025-26 season, a significant blow for Golden State as it pursues playoff positioning. Butler's torn ACL comes as the Warriors sit with the eighth-best record in the Western Conference and surging momentum.

Butler’s absence removes a key two-way contributor from the Warriors’ rotation. The 36-year-old veteran was averaging 20 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season and was an important complementary scorer alongside Steph Curry.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III grimaces in pain after suffering an ACL tear.© Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Golden State must adjust its rotation and consider strategic options as it heads toward the stretch run and the Feb. 5 trade deadline without him.

After news broke, Butler posted his first message on Instagram, sharing an edited photo of himself in an army general suit with the caption “Last night 44/82. Be back before you know it.”

View this post on Instagram

Butler joined the Warriors in February via trade from the Miami Heat and signed a two-year, $111 million extension that helped cement him as a cornerstone of Golden State’s title aspirations. In his first months with the Warriors, he helped transform the team into a playoff contender, applying veteran leadership and versatile scoring.

Typical recovery timelines for an ACL tear range from 9 to 12 months, meaning Butler could miss a significant portion of 2026-27 before returning to action.

Butler’s comment also comes as his agent, Bernie Lee, offered an update on what’s next for the six-time All-Star via ESPN’s Anthony Slater, saying: “We will make some functional decisions here in the next few days and then we are onto the next.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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