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Warriors' Jimmy Butler gets good injury timeline update, could return sooner to help Steph Curry
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- Warriors' Jimmy Butler gets good injury timeline update, could return sooner to help Steph Curry
Warriors' Jimmy Butler gets good injury timeline update, could return sooner to help Steph Curry originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Last season, the Golden State Warriors had to deal with several injuries to their roster, as Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both missed significant time. Butler suffered an ACL tear that is also forcing him to miss a substantial portion of this season.
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The forward is eager to return, but January or February could be the target for his comeback.
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. 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. A return in January or February can be considered an optimistic target," ESPN's Anthony Slater wrote.
Although no official return date has been announced, Butler has already admitted that he knows when he expects to play his first game back.
"I know [an exact target date]," Butler said. "We know. Y'all just find out whenever y'all find out."
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Butler is keeping most of the details under wraps so he can focus on his recovery in peace. However, the San Francisco Standard's Tim Kawakami believes Butler could return sooner than expected.
"The Warriors are 46-22 (.676) in the regular season when Butler's been in uniform since his arrival at the 2025 trade deadline, which is an important number to keep in mind if he's back from his ACL tear by mid-January. That's right at the mid-point of the schedule, which is probably a little ahead of most expectations," Kawakami wrote.
Golden State would love to have Butler back as soon as possible, but his return will ultimately depend on how he feels. Rushing back too soon could risk another setback in his recovery.
The Warriors are in a difficult position right now, and it is clear they could use a veteran like Butler back in the lineup. Butler has already made it clear that he intends to return as a better version of himself.
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