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Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks of the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center on January 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
Golden State Warriors‘ six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler will undergo surgery next week to repair a torn ACL, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“Warriors say Jimmy Butler will undergo surgery to repair his ACL on Feb. 9th in LA,” Friedell wrote on X. “The surgery will be performed by Dr. Bert Mandelbaum.”
Renowned Surgeon to Perform Butler’s ACL Reconstruction
Dr. Mandelbaum is a widely respected orthopedic surgeon and sports-medicine specialist based in Santa Monica, affiliated with the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute. He has treated elite athletes across the NBA, NFL, and NHL and previously served as chief medical officer for MLS’ L.A. Galaxy and team physician for the U.S. men’s national soccer team.
Mandelbaum is also recognized internationally for his work in ACL injury prevention, having developed the FIFA 11+ program, and currently serves as director of the FIFA Medical Center of Excellence in Santa Monica.
Recovery from ACL reconstruction for NBA players typically spans nine to 12 months, placing Butler’s availability well into next season.
Brutal Timing for Surging Warriors
Butler suffered the injury on Jan. 19 against his former team, the Miami Heat, in what had been one of Golden State’s most encouraging stretches of the season.
Entering that matchup, the Warriors had won 12 of their previous 16 games, climbing back into the Western Conference playoff picture. Butler’s steady two-way impact had been central to that turnaround.
At age 36, Butler averaged 21.3 points per game in January, shooting an efficient 53% from the field. He scored 17 points in just 21 minutes against Miami before exiting with the injury, once again anchoring Golden State on both ends.
Since Butler went down, the Warriors are 2–5, underscoring the void left by their most reliable veteran presence.
“Be back before you know it,” Butler wrote on Instagram following the injury, posting a collage from Golden State’s 135–112 win over Miami. The post included a stylized image of Butler in a military general’s uniform, captioned: “General Soreness.”
Giannis Pursuit Falls Short as Warriors Change Course
Butler’s injury had the Warriors scrambling to make deals to salvage one of the remaining championship windows for Stephen Curry, who turns 38 in March.
The Warriors pursued Giannis Antetokounmpo in talks that nearly cost them Draymond Green, but Milwaukee ultimately chose to retain the two-time MVP through the remainder of the season.
With the Giannis path closed, Golden State pivoted.
Kristaps Porziņģis Becomes New Frontcourt Gamble
The Warriors acquired Kristaps Porziņģis in a deal that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta. In a separate move, Golden State traded Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2026 second-round pick.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors believe Porziņģis offers upside despite durability concerns.
“They get a high-upside big man if Kristaps Porziņģis can be on the floor,” Charania said Wednesday night on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “They’re excited about him. They had targeted him for the last few months. And a key note: Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford were actually teammates in Boston when the Celtics won a championship a couple of years ago.”
Porziņģis is on an expiring $30.7 million contract, giving Golden State flexibility beyond this season. He missed 13 straight games before the trade and has appeared in just 17 games this year, but the Warriors accepted the risk once their blockbuster ambitions faded.
With Butler sidelined, Golden State now turns toward the future — balancing immediate competitiveness with long-term flexibility.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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