Jimmy Butler is not putting a date on his return from a torn ACL, but he has a message for anyone who expects him to come back diminished. The six-time All-Star, whom Golden State acquired at the 2025 trade deadline and who is entering his 16th NBA season, addressed both his recovery and the doubts about his comeback this week.
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In remarks shared on X from SiriusXM NBA, Butler said he is feeling great and that his surgery went well. He described the rehab process as ongoing but said, “I’m back moving on the floor some, running, jogging,” calling it the first step of his return.
Butler refused to name a target date for his comeback. “I wouldn’t want to be a liar,” he said, explaining why he is not giving anyone a timeline. Instead, he said he’ll return only once the team clears him, and that he plans to compete as soon as that happens.
Butler Delivers Warning to Doubters
Speaking to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Butler was more direct.
“Y’all motherf***ers going to be real shocked if y’all think I’m going to come back as some bum a** player,” he said.
That was a clear response to questions about how a 37-year-old forward will look after major knee surgery.
Butler tore his right ACL on Jan. 19 against the Miami Heat, his former team, and had surgery in February. His absence was one of several reasons that sank Golden State’s season, with Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porziņģis also missing extended stretches. The Warriors finished 37-45 and were eliminated in the play-in round.
“Jimmy’s injury just changed everything,” head coach Steve Kerr had said.
The confidence from Butler is not new. Earlier this summer, Butler told Slater that he is “right back to who I’ve always been” and expects to remain a top player when he returns. He also said he has a couple of good years left.
Slater has reported that a return in January or February 2027 would be an optimistic target. He added that Butler has made notable progress, has been increasing his on-court work, and will be limited to individual court and strength work when training camp opens.
ESPN has noted that Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ vice president of player health and performance, is known for taking a cautious approach with veterans in the late stages of rehab, one reason a quick return is far from guaranteed. General manager Mike Dunleavy has already said Jimmy Butler will not be ready for the opening night, and that it is still too early to set a timeline for his return.
No return date has been confirmed. January or February is the window most often reported, while Christmas Day has been floated only as the earliest possibility, and one report said he could be back before the February trade deadline. Until the Warriors clear him, all of it remains a projection.