Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler will miss the remainder of the NBA season after he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during a game against the Miami Heat on Monday night, according to reports from multiple US media outlets that cited sources familiar with the injury and its evaluation.
Butler sustained the injury in the second half of Golden State’s 135-112 road win over his former team at the Kaseya Center in Miami when he collided with Heat guard Davion Mitchell on a drive to the basket.
Team staff and medical personnel helped Butler off the court immediately after the fall, and he did not return to the game as the Warriors’ bench and coaching staff observed him being escorted to the locker room.
The Warriors announced on Monday night that Butler would undergo an MRI examination and that the organization would release a formal medical update on Tuesday after team doctors and specialists reviewed the imaging results.
Unnamed league and team sources told several US outlets that the MRI results showed a torn ACL in Butler’s right knee and that the expected recovery timeline would rule him out for the rest of the current regular season and the postseason.
Butler, a six-time NBA All-Star, joined Golden State before this season, and he averaged double-digit points along with rebounds and assists per game while he played a key role in the Warriors’ starting lineup.
The injury occurred during a game that marked another return to Miami for Butler, who previously led the Heat to multiple deep playoff runs before he departed the franchise and later signed with Golden State.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and players addressed Butler’s exit from the game in postgame interviews, and they stated that they would wait for the official medical report before discussing his long-term status.
The reported season-ending injury to Butler adds to Golden State’s recent history of significant player injuries, which previously included extended absences for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in recent years.
League medical data and prior cases indicate that a full recovery from an ACL tear typically requires several months of rehabilitation, and teams often project a return to play for the following season rather than within the same campaign.
NBA officials and the Warriors’ front office did not immediately announce any roster moves in response to Butler’s injury, and the team retained its current rotation as it prepared for its next scheduled regular-season game.
The Heat, who lost 135-112 in the matchup, did not report any significant injuries to Davion Mitchell from the collision, and he continued to play after the incident as Miami completed the contest.
The NBA had not issued any statement regarding the play that caused Butler’s injury, and game officials did not assess any flagrant or technical fouls on the collision during live action or after video review.