Jimmy Butler, torn ACL: season over

Jimmy Butler’s season with the Golden State Warriors has ended in the harshest possible way. The guard suffered a torn right ACL, an injury that immediately rules him out for the remainder of the NBA season.

The incident occurred during the Warriors’ 135–112 win over the Miami Heat, his former team. Butler went down hard after contact in the paint, remaining on the floor for several minutes in visible pain before being helped off the court, unable to put weight on his right leg.

The injury sequence and exit from the court

The play happened with 7:41 left in the third quarter. Butler jumped to receive a pass in the paint and landed awkwardly: his right knee twisted, his body gave way, and No. 22 collapsed to the floor screaming in pain.

An eerie silence followed. Teammates and staff gathered around him as the Chase Center crowd watched anxiously. After several minutes, Butler was lifted and slowly escorted toward the locker room, supported by Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga, eventually reaching a wheelchair positioned in the tunnel.

Stephen Curry later shared a detail that perfectly captures Butler’s character:

He was on the floor and kept joking around. That’s Jimmy—he finds a way to smile even in the worst situations

Steph Curry

A devastating blow at the Warriors’ best moment

The injury comes at the most delicate – and at the same time most positive – point of Golden State’s season. The Warriors had won 12 of their last 16 games, climbing the standings in large part thanks to Butler’s recent impact.

In January alone, the former Heat star averaged 21.3 points on 53% shooting, establishing himself as one of the group’s most reliable offensive options. Against Miami, before going down, he had already posted 17 points in 21 minutes, continuing a stretch of high efficiency.

Prior issues with the right knee and future uncertainty

Complicating matters further is the medical history of the same knee. Butler previously suffered a meniscus injury in 2018 and a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in 2024, both to the right leg.

The ACL tear now opens a long and demanding path ahead – surgery, rehabilitation, and recovery timelines that will extend well beyond the end of the season.