Warriors' Jimmy Butler knows when he'll return from ACL injury, keeping his target date a secret originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Last season was a frustrating one for the Golden State Warriors, as they battled numerous injuries that ultimately caused them to miss the NBA Playoffs. One of the biggest setbacks was Steph Curry missing a significant amount of time.
Another major injury was suffered by veteran Jimmy Butler, who had to undergo knee surgery after tearing his ACL.
“Butler has been slowly increasing his on-court work while traveling the globe this summer, and the most recent strength tests on his right ACL recovery have shown notable progress, according to league sources. But Butler still has extensive rehab work ahead. He is expected to be limited to individual court and strength work when training camp opens in a month, league sources said, with the 36-year-old forward needing more time to be cleared for a full contact setting. A return in January or February can be considered an optimistic target," ESPN's Anthony Slater wrote.
The Warriors are expected to be without Butler for at least part of the season, although the veteran has provided a positive update on his recovery. He says his knee feels great.
“Great! My knee aches a little bit, but outside of that, I feel amazing. I'm super blessed to be able to play for some amazing organizations with some Hall of Fame players and I can say, I am probably with the greatest player that I have ever played with right now in this team for the greatest organization, so 16 years in and to end up over here with the Warriors, couldn't ask for a better story," Butler said.
It remains unclear exactly when Butler will return, but there is at least an estimated timeline for his recovery. The veteran and the Warriors also appear to have a target date in mind. However, Butler told ESPN that he is not going to reveal it.
“I know [an exact target date]," Butler said. "We know. Y'all just find out whenever y'all find out."
The good news is that the recovery appears to be progressing well enough for the Warriors to have a target date in mind. Butler is a competitor, and missing this much time could only make him more motivated to return to the court.
Butler could be a huge boost for Golden State once he returns, potentially making the difference in the team's playoff hopes. The Warriors seem to have an idea of when their veteran star will be back, but for everyone else, the exact date remains a mystery.
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