Jimmy Butler Teases Target Date for Return from Knee Injury, Updates Warriors Contract Talks

Jimmy Butler is keeping the timeline for his return from ACL surgery a secret for the time being.

"I know [an exact target date]," Butler told ESPN's Anthony Slater. "We know. Y'all just find out whenever y'all find out."

The six-time All-Star also discussed contract negotiations with the Golden State Warriors, as he's currently set to earn $56.8 million next season before hitting free agency in 2027 (via Spotrac).

"I don't pay attention to it," Butler told Slater. "My job is to go out there and hoop. You got to talk to [my agent] Bernie Lee, you got to talk to Mike Dunleavy, whoever else specializes in that aspect. My job is to help us win, to compete at a high level and be the best leader, teammate, vet that I can to these young guys. That's what I control. So, that's what I do control."

His 2025-26 campaign came to an early end after he suffered a torn ACL on Jan. 19.

"I really felt like I let Steph down," Butler explained to Slater. "I let Draymond down. I let Steve down. Because they took a chance. If you don't know me and you haven't been around me, you don't know what I'm about because of the things that you may read and hear. But they said, 'F--k all of that s--t. This motherf--ker knows how to win.' They took a chance, and I felt I let them down."

While the 37-year-old's on-court abilities following the injury are unknown, he isn't worried about any concerns surrounding him.

"I don't give a f--k, honestly," Butler told Slater. "I bet y'all not going to leave me. I bet no team going to be like, 'Oh, no, don't guard that guy.' They're not going to do that. I bet whenever I step on the floor, they're going to send more than one body. I bet you're still going to foul me. So what are we talking about here?"

Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area reported Sept. 28 that Butler was progressing in his rehab despite being limited to light drills on the court. He was shooting, dribbling and passing.

Although Butler won't be back for the beginning of the 2026-27 season, he'll look to provide a boost to Golden State's starting lineup once he's able to return.

His tenure with the Warriors started on a high note, as they posted a 23-7 record in his 30 games after acquiring him in a midseason trade with the Miami Heat during their 2024-25 campaign.

Golden State started off slow the following year, but still owned a 25-19 record at the time of Butler's injury. He was averaging 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game while compiling 51.9/37.6/86.4 shooting splits.

The Warriors struggled in Butler's absence, finishing the season with a 37-45 record before they were eliminated in the play-in tournament.

Golden State will open the 2026-27 season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET.