Jimmy Butler Injury Update: What Happened?
On Monday night, January 19, 2026, Jimmy Butler went down with a right knee injury in the Golden State Warriors’ 135–112 home win over the Miami Heat at Chase Center in San Francisco. @SleeperWarriors shared on X the replay of Jimmy Butler’s right knee injury.
The 36‑year‑old wing landed awkwardly at the 7:41 mark of the third quarter after colliding with Davion Mitchell in the paint, immediately grabbing at his right knee and staying down for several minutes before being helped to the locker room, unable to put weight on the leg.
@CourtsideBuzzX shared on X that Jimmy Butler’s knee buckled, and he had to be helped to the Golden State Warriors' locker room.
Team officials ruled Butler out for the rest of the game and sent him for an MRI on Monday night, with Steve Kerr calling the locker room mood “subdued” and Stephen Curry admitting they’re “praying for the best” as they wait on imaging results.
It’s a little concerning given Butler’s history on that same knee, and there was no official diagnosis or timetable publicly announced as of early Tuesday.
Jimmy Butler Injury List
Butler has been banged up a lot over the last three seasons, even if he’s usually tried to play through pain. Since the start of the 2023‑24 campaign, he has dealt with:
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October–November 2023: Multiple right knee listings, plus ankle issues and short rest nights early that season.
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December 2023: Calf and foot problems, along with more ankle trouble, cost him games around the New Year.
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2024: Foot, head, and MCL issues, including an MCL sprain in April 2024 on the same right knee that’s now hurt again.
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2024‑25: A run of knee, back, and illness designations in November–December 2024, followed by pelvis and back issues earlier in 2025.
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2025‑26: Illness, “personal” absences, and a December 2025 knee listing before this latest setback with the Warriors.
Some will remember last season’s knee flare‑up,s where he missed small clusters of games but came back looking close to himself, which is why this fresh twist on the same joint hits differently.
When Will Jimmy Butler Return?
Right now, it’s unclear if Butler is dealing with a sprain, a hyperextension or something more serious like structural meniscus damage, because the Warriors haven’t released MRI results yet.
Early external estimates suggest that a straightforward sprain could put him out “a few weeks,” while anything involving the meniscus might mean a much longer stint on the sideline, but that’s speculation until the team speaks.
Given his age, prior meniscus tear, and the 2024 MCL sprain on the same knee, it would be surprising if Golden State rushed him back for regular‑season games before he’s fully cleared by the medical staff.
For now, the only honest read is that he’s out indefinitely pending further testing and an official update from the Warriors’ medical team.
Jimmy Butler Career Stats With Warriors
Butler’s Golden State line has been strong and exactly what the front office hoped for when they swung the trade. Through mid‑January 2026, his Warriors regular‑season numbers sit roughly in this range (rounded):
|
Stat Category |
Jimmy Butler with Warriors* |
|---|---|
|
Games played |
34–36 GP (2025‑26) |
|
Minutes per game |
31.0 MPG |
|
Points per game |
21.0 PPG |
|
Rebounds per game |
5.5 RPG |
|
Assists per game |
4.7 APG |
|
Steals per game |
1.6 SPG |
|
Field goal percentage |
51% FG |
|
Three‑point percentage |
35% 3P |
Approximate current‑season Warriors numbers based on January 2026 stat lines.
Impact on Warriors lineup
This is where it really stings. Butler had 17 points in 21 minutes on 7‑of‑11 shooting against Miami before going down, continuing a January run where he was averaging 21.3 points on 53% from the field and driving a 12‑4 stretch for Golden State. Without him, Kerr has to reshuffle both the starting unit and the closing five.
Short term, expect more wing minutes for Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga, with Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody pushed higher into the rotation on the perimeter.
Kerr can slide Klay Thompson up a position in some lineups, but that puts extra defensive responsibility on aging legs and forces Draymond Green to cover even more ground as the backline brain.
Disclaimer
Jimmy Butler injury information, timelines and lineup projections are based on publicly available news reports and current team updates at the time of writing. Actual diagnoses, recovery schedules and rotation decisions may change as official announcements are released. Readers should always verify details with team and league sources.
