Steve Kerr reveals how Warriors plan to cope without Jimmy Butler after season-ending knee injury

The Golden State Warriors face a dramatically altered season after star guard Jimmy Butler sustained a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his right knee, forcing the team to rely heavily on its depth.

An MRI scan conducted late on Monday confirmed the devastating injury, which occurred during the third quarter of a 135-112 victory against his former side, Miami.

The 36-year-old landed awkwardly after catching a pass in the paint following a collision with the Heat’s Davion Mitchell. Butler will require surgery, with a date yet to be set.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his profound disappointment before a subsequent home loss to Toronto.

"Well, most of all just disappointed for Jimmy. He's having a great year. I felt like the last couple weeks he was really at the top of his game," Kerr stated.

"So for him and for us obviously, for him individually, in the middle of a really great season with a lot of possibilities, a lot of excitement with the team the way was playing, I just feel terrible for him that he's going to miss the rest of the year. It's part of the game, I know, injuries are a part of it, but it hurts for sure."

The incident saw Butler’s knee buckle upon landing, prompting him to scream, grimace, and clutch his knee for several minutes. He needed assistance from teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to be escorted off the court, unable to bear any weight on his leg.

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Prior to the injury, Butler had been a pivotal player, contributing 17 points, four assists, and three rebounds in just under 21 minutes against Miami. This season, he was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Stephen Curry, averaging 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.

The Warriors, who had secured four consecutive victories and 12 of their last 16 outings before a recent 145-127 defeat to the Raptors, currently sit eighth in the Western Conference. Butler’s absence presents a significant challenge as they strive for a playoff berth.

Kerr plans to experiment with rotations, indicating that Jonathan Kuminga "could be" part of the mix, despite not having played in over a month – 16 consecutive games since 18 December and 19 of the last 20 overall.

Kuminga, who has been the subject of trade speculation, entered the game to a warm ovation and scored 20 points in 21 minutes. Kerr commented before the game: "He's been over four years so we’re comfortable with what he can do and how he might fit in."

General manager Mike Dunleavy described the past 24 hours as "tough" but noted the timing of the injury allows the organisation to consider options ahead of the 5 February trade deadline, adding that "nothing's imminent" regarding a Kuminga trade.

Dunleavy praised Butler’s impact: "He has meant so much to this organization since he got here. It's hard to believe he hasn't even been here a year, he's fit in so well. You hate it for him. The beat goes on, you've got to keep going and I think our team’s playing really good.

“We’ve been playing some good basketball. That’s the bright spot here. I don’t have a positive twist on the news, it’s not good. ACL injuries are not things that you can be positive about, but this will all come out well in the end and we’ll move forward."

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He expressed hope for Butler’s return "around this time next season."

Kerr remains confident in his squad’s depth, expecting Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton to step into key roles.

"I think we have enough to compete. I think Al and Melt have given us a different dynamic, I think a lot of our young players — Quinten (Post), Will Richard — those guys are ready to contribute, they have contributed," Kerr said.

"We've got depth so we can keep this thing going. Obviously we will miss Jimmy. He's one of the best players in the league, you can't minimize that, trivialize it, but you play with who you have and I like who we have."

Buddy Hield, a close friend of Butler’s, confirmed the injured player is in good spirits.

"Jimmy's being Jimmy, he's happy. Of course, injury, he wants to play, everybody wants him to play," Hield shared. "I text him, call him, he's in high spirits. For a person to be in that high spirits after an injury like that it just shows his character."