Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler’s recovery is moving in the right direction. His return to an NBA court is not close.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday on “NBA Today” that Butler remains in the middle stages of rehabilitation from the torn right ACL that ended his 2025-26 season.
“I’ve heard good updates on his progress and the strengthening of his knee,” Slater said. “But he’s still months away from being on an NBA court.”
That distinction matters for a Warriors team preparing to open another season without one of its most important players.
Butler tore the ACL in his right knee in January and underwent surgery the following month. Golden State has avoided putting a firm return date on the six-time All-Star, with his rehabilitation dictated by the checkpoints that come with a lengthy ACL recovery.
Butler Expected to Be Limited at Training Camp
Slater said Butler is expected to join the Warriors when they open training camp in Hawaii but will be limited primarily to individual work on the side.
He will not be working toward opening night.
Instead, Golden State will continue monitoring how his knee responds as Butler progresses from strengthening work toward running, cutting and eventually full-contact basketball.
The Warriors have reason to be encouraged by the reports coming out of his rehabilitation.
They also have reason not to rush him.
Butler is 37, and Golden State’s championship hopes depend far more on having him healthy later in the season than forcing an aggressive early return.
Yaxel Lendeborg Could Get Immediate Opportunity
Butler is not the only Warriors wing expected to begin camp at less than full strength.
Moses Moody is also recovering from a knee injury, creating an early opening on the perimeter for first-round pick Yaxel Lendeborg.
That could accelerate the rookie’s timetable.
Golden State did not draft Lendeborg expecting him to carry a major offensive burden immediately, but Butler and Moody’s situations could force coach Steve Kerr to give the rookie meaningful opportunities from the start.
Lendeborg’s versatility makes him particularly intriguing in that setting.
He can defend multiple positions, rebound, play in transition and contribute without requiring the offense to run through him — traits that could help him fill some of the wing minutes temporarily unavailable with Butler and Moody on the mend.
Training camp should give Golden State its first real indication of whether Lendeborg is ready for that responsibility.
Warriors Need to Cover Butler’s Minutes
Before the injury, Butler remained central to everything Golden State wanted to do.
His downhill scoring gave Stephen Curry another creator capable of breaking down set defenses. His size and physicality allowed Kerr to shift between lineups, and his ability to draw fouls gave the Warriors an offensive element they otherwise lacked.
None of those qualities can be replaced by one player.
Golden State will instead have to spread Butler’s responsibilities throughout the roster until he returns.
That creates opportunity for established players, but perhaps no one stands to benefit more immediately than Lendeborg.
The rookie was always going to be one of the more interesting players to watch during camp.
With Butler still months away and Moody also working back from a knee injury, he could become considerably more important sooner rather than later.
Warriors Get Major Jimmy Butler Injury Update Ahead of Training Camp