Since suffering an ACL injury earlier in January, there have been many questions regarding the Golden State Warriors‘ stance on Jimmy Butler. Given the typical recovery timeline for such an injury, most reports indicated that the Warriors would keep an eye out for potential trades involving the superstar. However, the reality of the situation has been rather odd.
Although Jimmy Butler was mentioned as a potential trade chip in deals for players like Anthony Davis, the Warriors have been very hesitant to pull the trigger on any moves. Meanwhile, Butler has been solely focused on rehabilitation and recovery, and there may have been good reason for this.
During a recent appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs,” The San Francisco Standard’s Danny Emerman shared a positive update on Butler’s recovery timeline. In doing so, Emerman also touched on the Warriors’ stance on trading the superstar forward.
“It could be really interesting to see how he comes back from that knee injury. I’ve heard that he’s targeting, as early as Christmas. Who knows how his rehab turns out? That is obviously subject to change.”
“If he comes back and he looks awesome, the Warriors might not want to trade him. They really love Jimmy Butler,” Emerman added. “And from what I’ve been told behind the scenes, they’ve constantly reassured him and his camp that they don’t want to trade him, that they’re committed to him.”
Strangely, Emerman’s report almost contradicts everything we thought about the Warriors’ outlook on Jimmy Butler this offseason. Although Butler has been viewed favorably within the organization, the trade rumors suggested the team had started to pivot.
While the reassurance from the Warriors is promising, it is evident that it is conditional, as Emerman continued:
“I think it’s possible that he comes back and looks just okay, and that’s kind of normal for a 37-year-old attempting an unprecedented rehab. If that’s the case, then maybe you can get him back on, like, maybe a veteran minimum deal, maybe a mid-level exception. That would be an interesting piece going forward, just as a contributor. But I don’t know. We’ll see how he looks when he comes back, either in December, January, or February. Whenever he does.”
Emerman’s report makes it abundantly clear that the Warriors wish to retain Jimmy Butler, and there is some optimism that he will remain a solid contributor even after returning next season. However, the Warriors’ long-term approach with the forward appears to be slightly different.
Even if Butler returns at some point next season, with Emerman hinting at a date as early as Christmas, the 36-year-old forward will remain in the final year of his $56.8 million contract.
Although he brings a lot to the table on both ends of the floor, given that he could be entering the final years of his professional career, the Warriors may not see as much merit in offering him a sizable new deal, especially with Stephen Curry also due for an extension.
For all intents and purposes, remaining with the Warriors also appears to be a best-case scenario if Butler lives up to expectations.
If the superstar forward doesn’t seem up to the mark after returning from injury, Emerman implies that the Dubs could consider offloading him in the future. Hence, even if he is off the trade block now, this could change dramatically depending on his performance.
Last season, Butler averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range over 38 appearances.
While these are solid figures, they are also a benchmark that the six-time All-Star will have to live up to once he returns. Thus, even though the updates regarding his recovery timeline are positive, the eye test will ultimately decide whether the Warriors see value in retaining him.
