The injury and the road back
In the eight months since Jimmy Butler suffered a severe right knee injury during a game against Miami, his leg has slowly healed. During a training camp practice in Hawaii, Butler recalled the exact moment he heard a sharp shooting pain and let out a loud scream. Buddy Hield shouted at him to get up because the team needed him, and Butler responded with typical humor. When Butler opened his eyes and looked up, he saw Stephen Curry standing over him with an unnerved look.
Coach Steve Kerr admitted that once Butler went down, the team knew their championship aspirations for that season were gone. Before the injury, Butler was averaging 21 points, five rebounds, and five assists, lifting the Warriors to a record of 25-19. General manager Mike Dunleavy refused to trade Butler during the offseason, keeping him on an expiring contract because the front office believes he is an essential piece for winning.
Building the team around Butler and Curry
Stephen Curry was initially skeptical about bringing Butler to the franchise after his dramatic exit from Miami. Curry also liked Andrew Wiggins, who had to be moved in the transaction. However, Dunleavy pushed hard for the trade and secured a two-year extension for Butler. Dunleavy played with Butler in Chicago years ago and knew his style of play would fit well with Curry and Draymond Green.
Butler quickly proved his worth on the court. The Warriors finished the regular season strongly with Butler in the lineup, defeated Houston in the first round, and felt confident they could beat Minnesota before Curry got hurt. Now, with Butler turning 37 and recovering from his ACL injury, the team faces low expectations from the outside. Kerr plans to lay a strong foundation early in the season so that when Butler returns around February, the team will have good momentum heading toward the playoffs.
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