Season stats: 2025-26. Updated 7 h ago.
Jimmy Butler Out With Right Knee Injury, No Return Before December
newsroom · 3 h agoJimmy Butler is out for the Warriors with a right knee injury, and the team is not expecting him back before December. He is 36 years old and entering his 15th season, coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 20.0 points for Golden State. For now, Golden State has to plan around him missing the start of 2026-27.
Injury Report
Butler is out with a right knee injury, and the timeline points to a return around December 1, 2026. According to Danny Emerman of SFStandard.com, Butler is still in the relatively early stages of his recovery and has only recently begun getting back on the court. That description points to a gradual buildup rather than a quick turnaround. For a 36-year-old forward, there is no reason to rush the process, and the injury log so far shows a single entry: out, right knee. Until he is cleared for full practice work and then game action, Golden State will not have him available for the start of the 2026-27 season.
What He Did Last Season
In 2025-26, his most recent full season, Butler played 38 games for Golden State and averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 31.1 minutes a night. He shot 51.9 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from three and 86.4 percent from the line, numbers that add up to a 64.6 true shooting percentage. His usage rate sat at 22.6 percent, and his plus-minus was plus-4.9, a sign the Warriors were better with him on the floor. Those are the numbers Golden State is waiting to get back once his knee allows it.
Who Butler Is Now
Butler wears number 10 for Golden State and plays forward. He stands 6-6 and weighs 230 pounds, and at 36 years old he is entering his 15th NBA season out of Marquette. That combination of size, experience and shot-making is why his last-season scoring and efficiency numbers matter so much to the Warriors' plans. A player at this stage of his career with a knee injury is a situation to track closely, since recovery timelines for veterans do not always move in a straight line. Right now, the only confirmed detail is the estimated December 1 return date.
What It Means for the Warriors
With Butler sidelined and no games played yet this season, Golden State opens 2026-27 without one of its most efficient scorers from a year ago. His 2025-26 line, 20.0 points on 51.9 percent shooting with a plus-4.9 plus-minus, is exactly the kind of production that is hard to replace on short notice. The team does not have a firm return date beyond the December 1 estimate, and Butler is still described as early in his recovery. Until he is back on the court in games, any plans for the rotation have to account for his absence.
Questions fans ask
Is Jimmy Butler playing right now?
No. He is out with a right knee injury and has not been cleared to play.
When will Jimmy Butler return?
The estimated return is December 1, 2026. Per Danny Emerman of SFStandard.com, Butler is still early in his recovery and has only recently started getting back on the court.
What injury does Jimmy Butler have?
A right knee injury, listed under knee and leg.
What did Jimmy Butler average last season?
In 2025-26 with Golden State, Butler averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists over 38 games, shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three.
What number does Jimmy Butler wear for the Warriors?
Number 10.
How old is Jimmy Butler and what season is this for him?
He is 36 years old and entering his 15th NBA season, out of Marquette.
Game log
last 0| Date | Opp | Result | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG | 3P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No games logged yet this season. | |||||||||