Golden State's Best Lineup With Butler Barely Got Tested
Butler's first season in Golden State was short and spectacular in flashes; the real question now is whether health lets him repeat it at scale.
In 38 games last season, Butler paired elite efficiency with modest usage, then ran into a right knee issue that has him out again with an estimated return date of December 1. His best five-man lineup produced the highest per-possession margin of any grouping tested, but only over 65 minutes.
The Efficiency, in Small Doses
Butler played just 38 games last season but made them count: 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists a night in 31.1 minutes, shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three on only 2.2 attempts a game. He got to the line often and made 86.4 percent of his free throws. His usage rate, 22.6 percent, was not extreme — he scored efficiently on a share of possessions that left room for others.
The Numbers Behind the Points
Butler's true shooting mark reached 64.6 percent, and Golden State outscored opponents by 7.3 points per 100 possessions when he played — an offensive rating of 116.6 against a defensive rating of 109.2. He set up teammates at a 24.0 percent assist rate while turning the ball over just 1.6 times a game, and he still found boards and passing lanes, with 1.4 steals and an 8.7 percent rebound rate.
One Lineup Stood Above the Rest
Golden State's most productive five-man unit with Butler paired him with S. Curry, D. Green, J. Kuminga and B. Podziemski: a plus-16.9 mark, but across just 8 games and 65 minutes. A different grouping — Butler, Green, M. Moody, Podziemski and Q. Post — ran to a plus-2.3 mark over 12 games and 64 minutes. The version tested longest, swapping Podziemski for Curry alongside Butler, Green, Moody and Post, fell to minus-6.5 over 17 games and 125 minutes. The lineup that worked best barely got tested.
What Butler Needs to Be
Butler is out to start the year with a right knee issue, with an estimated return date of December 1. At 37, in his 15th season, the ask is not more volume — his 22.6 percent usage last year already produced Golden State's best efficiency numbers. It is availability: enough games, at close to that same efficiency, to make the plus-16.9 lineup something more than an eight-game footnote.
What is Butler's injury status heading into the 2026-27 season?
He is out with a right knee injury, with an estimated return date of December 1, 2026.
How efficient was Butler for the Warriors last season?
Over 38 games he shot 51.9 percent from the field and posted a 64.6 percent true shooting mark, with Golden State outscoring opponents by 7.3 points per 100 possessions when he played.
