Jimmy Butler's ACL Injury Forces Warriors into Major Trade Decision

The Golden State Warriors suffered a devastating blow when Jimmy Butler was ruled out with a torn ACL on Tuesday, Jan. 20. The veteran forward suffered the injury during the Warriors’ 135-112 win over the Miami Heat. In a recent article for ClutchPoints, NBA Insider Brett Siegel speculated that Golden State could potentially look to move Butler ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. “All options will be on the table for the Warriors with nearly two weeks before the trade deadline, including the possibility of trading Butler to try to maximize their championship push this season. Butler is making $54.1 million this season and $56.8 million during the 2026-27 season before becoming an unrestricted free agent.” Siegel continued. “The Warriors did trade De’Anthony Melton after he tore his ACL last season, and that trade eventually led them to getting Butler. Perhaps there is a similar move that can be made by Dunleavy, Lacob, and the front office this time around, utilizing Butler’s salary to fill the major hole that now exists next to Curry and Green.” It’s important to note that Siegel was speculating about Butler’s future with the Warriors, not reporting the information as fact. Nevertheless, Butler’s injury has to at least make a trade possible. Especially if the front office is keen to build on Golden State’s recent uptick in performance. Jimmy Butler’s Agent Releases Statement When speaking to ESPN following Butler’s ACL injury, his agent, Bernie Lee, provided a bold statement. “Obviously a gut punch on every level for Jimmy and the entire group,” Lee said. “But I firmly believe that this is a part of the journey and we can’t only expect to take the good things out of it. We’ve watched life happen to countless others and now it’s his turn to face this. It’s how life works.” Lee pinpointed Butler’s mindset. He went on to declare that the veteran forward will win a championship before his career ends. “I’ve known for over 10 years now that Jimmy is going to win a championship before he is done. My belief in that is unwavering,” Lee continued. “If you know anything about Jimmy, you know exactly how he will attack this challenge. Put simply, he has this.” Butler had been playing some solid basketball before his injury. Over 38 games, he averaged 20 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists. He was shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.6% from deep. Warriors Unlikely To Repair Kuminga Relationship Butler is now sidelined for what could be as long as a year. The logical option is for Golden State to turn to Jonathan Kumina to fill his role. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, speaking on SportsCenter AM, the relationship between the explosive forward and the franchise has moved beyond the point of repair. “In some shape or form, the Warriors are back on the rollercoaster that is their saga with Jonathan Kuminga,” Charania said. “Whether they go all-in again with Kuminga to see, can he play in the absence of Jimmy Butler, the focus is going to squarely be on him…My sources tell me the relationship between him and Steve Kerr is fractured beyond repair.”