DNHQ Emergency Thread: Jimmy Butler tears ACL vs Miami, out for season
NO! NO! NOOOOO!!
Good morning, Dub Nation. If you haven’t already heard, Monday night’s win over Miami came with a devastating cost.
Jimmy Butler tore his right ACL in the third quarter and is done for the season.
The injury happened with 7:41 left in the third when Butler leaped for an entry pass, collided with Miami’s Davion Mitchell, and landed awkwardly on his right knee. He stayed down for minutes while his teammates surrounded him in a stunned Chase Center. Eventually, his teammates helped him to the locker room, unable to put weight on his leg.
Is it time to talk nice to a young disgruntled player the Warriors threw into the toolshed to collect dust before the trade deadline and say “Hey LOL JK!”. Yes, I’m talking about resurrecting the career of Jonathan Kuminga. The same Jonathan Kuminga who’s been benched for 13 straight games. The same Jonathan Kuminga who formally demanded a trade just days ago.
You want to talk about irony? Andrew Wiggins got a standing ovation during his tribute video in his return to Chase Center. The crowd showed major love for the wing who helped win a championship, the player who transformed from “worst contract in basketball” into the second best player in the 2022 NBA Finals.
And Butler? The player the Warriors traded Wiggins to acquire? He’s done. Finished. The co-star who was supposed to extend Steph Curry’s championship window just had that window slam shut on his knee.
Poor Steph Curry.
He’s just got announced as an All-Star starter. He’s still making the impossible look routine. And he keeps watching the front office try to build around him with duct tape and prayer. First it was Kevin Durant leaving, then it was Klay Thompson’s departure. Then trading Wiggins for Butler. Now Butler’s gone too, and Steph’s left holding together a roster that’s 25-19 and clinging to relevance.
The Warriors owe Butler $56.8 million next season. They’ve got a disgruntled Kuminga rotting on the bench. They’ve got a trade deadline in 16 days and more questions than answers.
This thread is for processing what happens next. Let’s talk it through. As the Bible says, we watch and pray.
Duncan article and gamethread: https://dubnationhq.com/p/one-bad-landing-and-everything-changes
Of all the options I’ve heard so far, JK for DeRozan makes the most sense. DDR is not remotely close to the player that Jimmy was (😢).
DDR is a decent tough shot generator and maker, esp the midranges necessary in the playoffs. He has the build to guard larger wings. He won’t have gravity, but that’s what Steph is for, and when Steph is out, it could be the DDR show and hope you break even.
Importantly, his contract ends after next year, synced with Steph/Dray/Jimmy.
His defensive analytics are negative. However, they are pretty similar to Andrew Wiggins right before he came to GSW.
Is this desperation? Yes. But it is a plausible way forward to stay on the edge of contention while not blowing up the team for a decade. I believe I am in the minority, but I think dumping picks to give Steph a 5% better chance at a championship in exchange for stinking for the next decade is a terrible deal (and everything Steph himself has ever said is in agreement with that).