Warriors' Jimmy Butler Shares Heartfelt Update After Season-Ending Injury

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sami Haider | Last updated Feb 20, 2026 7:53 PM ET

Jimmy Butler's NBA career has never been a straight line. He's played through torn ligaments, turf toes, hand injuries, and knee problems across 15 seasons. These kinds of injuries usually force veteran wings into retirement or onto the bench.

But Butler has always bounced back, and that resilience was exactly what Golden State was banking on when they acquired him just before the trade deadline in 2025 to provide a veteran difference-maker alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

His first season in a Warriors uniform was quite promising. Golden State finished strong, going 23-7 in the regular season games Butler played and clinching a playoff berth. Butler pushed through a pelvis and glute contusion sustained in Game 2 of the first round against the Houston Rockets.

However, Curry's left hamstring strain in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals proved too much to overcome, and the Warriors eventually lost the series 4-1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This season, the Dubs were doing it again, winning 12 of their last 16 games before Butler got injured against his former team, the Miami Heat, on Jan. 19. However, the "Gold and Blue" have struggled to maintain the momentum later and are set to face the Denver Nuggets in their next match with a 29-27 record.

ESPN's Shams Charania confirmed that Butler suffered a season-ending ACL injury after landing awkwardly following a collision while catching a pass in the paint. He has since undergone successful surgery in Los Angeles. The team expects him to make a full recovery and will provide an update early next season.

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler (10) during a game.© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Butler addressed Warriors season ticket holders in a statement shared by superfan Ray Almeda on social media, reflecting on his year in the Bay Arena. He detailed his devastation over the injury.

He wrote, "After being in this league for as long as I have — 15 years now — you eventually realize that you only have a certain number of these golden opportunities. We had that opportunity this year in a league filled with parity and a team full of promise."

Jimmy Butler has shared the following statement with me and other @warriors season ticket holders:

“Dear Warriors Season Ticket Family,

I have played in front of many incredible crowds over my 15 seasons in the NBA, but there was always something about playing in the Bay Area…
— Ray Almeda (@rayalmeda) February 20, 2026

He also reaffirmed his commitment to returning, promising to attack his rehab with singular focus, making clear the story isn't finished.

He concluded his note, penning, “I will be back, and I need you back, too. Here’s to what’s ahead. Go Dubs.”

Charania noted that the Warriors are preparing for Butler to miss the start of next season. Currently, the eighth-seeded Golden State faces the Denver Nuggets next. They remain short-handed, playing without both Butler and Curry, who is sidelined with a knee injury and expected to miss at least five more games.

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

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