Jimmy Butler of the Golden State Warriors suffered a torn ACL on January 19, 2026, which subsequently ended the team’s hopes of making any waves in the NBA playoffs.
However, Butler is expected to return at some point during the 2026-27 season, and many hope his return to the lineup will give the Stephen Curry-led squad an extra boost in its push for another title.
Still, Golden State has been quiet on any Butler injury updates, and for now, the franchise has yet to announce an official return date or timeline for the star.
But despite that, a few recent reports on Butler’s injury have emerged, and according to some of the top sources across the NBA, a timeline is coming more clear for the Warriors getting their star wing back.
When Is Jimmy Butler Coming Back For The Warriors?
Writing for ESPN, Golden State insider Anthony Slater offered a realistic Butler injury return date after suffering the torn ACL in mid-January 2026.
“Butler has been slowly increasing his on-court work while traveling the globe this summer, and the most recent strength tests on his right ACL recovery have shown notable progress, according to league sources,” Slater wrote. “A return in January or February can be considered an optimistic target, but there are plenty of checkpoints ahead before getting that clearance.”
Butler averaged 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals on 51.9% shooting in 38 games for Golden State before going down with the ACL injury.
He has been seen in public moving well, but as Slater mentioned, the Warriors will be taking a cautious approach, and Butler still has a lot of work to do before being cleared to return by the team’s training staff.
“But Butler still has extensive rehab work ahead. He is expected to be limited to individual court and strength work when training camp opens in a month, league sources said, with the 36-year-old forward needing more time to be cleared for a full contact setting,” he added. “The Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker, Rick Celebrini, is noted for a cautious approach.”
After suffering the injury, Butler sent a message to Warriors fans saying he would do everything possible to get back on the court and continue to contribute to winning.
Now, roughly seven and a half months after suffering the ACL injury, a recovery and return timeline appears to be forming, as Slater’s update isn’t the only one signaling when Butler will get back on the court.
An Injury Return Timeline Is Emerging For Golden State’s Star
Along with Slater’s recent report on Butler, NBA insider Brett Siegel offered a similar update on the 36-year-old star.
Speaking on the Clutch Scoops podcast, Siegel said January or early February would be a realistic injury return date, but added that a late-December, even a Christmas Day return, can’t be ruled out.
“It does seem like that Christmas would be the earliest that he could potentially return. But again, there’s no timeline on this. It’s not like, yeah, he’s aiming for Christmas,” he said. “I fully anticipate him being back before the trade deadline based on everything I’ve heard to this point.”
The typical ACL injury recovery in the NBA has been about ten to 12 months, but with Butler in his late 30s, it’s expected that he’ll be on the longer end of that timeline to make his injury return.
Still, all signs point to Butler getting back on the court for the Warriors at some point next season, with a lingering chance he is ahead of schedule in his injury recovery.
“You’re talking about returning during the second half of this season, but we have heard some optimism here, and there have been some small hints that he could be ahead of schedule,” Siegel added.
Butler is entering the final year of his two-year, $110 million contract with the Warriors.
When Is Jimmy Butler Coming Back? Warriors Receive Fresh Injury Return Timeline