SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State Warriors star Jimmy Butler will require surgery and miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during the third quarter of a 135-112 victory over his former Miami team.
The Warriors made the announcement Tuesday ahead of their home game against Toronto.
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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, checks on forward Jimmy Butler III during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, middle, is helped off the floor by teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, second from left, is helped off the floor by teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, reacts after contact with Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, middle, is helped up by teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Butler was hurt Monday night moments after catching a pass in the paint when he went down hard and awkwardly following a collision with the Heat's Davion Mitchell — who was called for a foul. After the play, Butler was asking for two free throws, a positive sign to coach Steve Kerr that his spirits were good.
“We're all really concerned, but we'll know more after the MRI,” Kerr said, well before the results were known. “Everybody is subdued because of the injury, waiting to hear the news.”
The news was not good, and now Golden State — with about two weeks until the trade deadline — will have decisions to make about how to handle the remainder of the season without Butler.
Butler's knee buckled upon his landing and he grimaced and grabbed at the knee while down for a couple of minutes. He needed teammates Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield to escort him off the court and to the locker room after the fall on the Warriors' offensive end. When he finally got up with assistance, he was unable to put any pressure on his knee.
“It's something you hadn't seen before, usually you expect him get up and even if he can't finish the game just get off the sideline. I just told him to take his time and figure out what he needed in that moment,” Stephen Curry said. “It's kind of funny he was still cracking jokes over there while he was on the ground in true Jimmy fashion. He's always going to have a good time no matter the situation is. I do love that perspective and that part of his personality, even in the worst of moment he's still having a good time. He was trying to get to the free-throw line, he said it was two shots.”
In just under 21 minutes, Butler had 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting, four assists and three rebounds. He is Golden State's second-leading scorer behind Curry, having averaged 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists entering the week.
“He's an alpha. He's one of those guys in the league who everybody else in the gym knows that's the guy,” Kerr said. “He has that presence but he also has that game where we can play through him possession after possession. So, assuming we'll be without him for a little bit, we're going to miss him, we've got a lot of players who can play and we're showing our depth right now.”
AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, checks on forward Jimmy Butler III during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, middle, is helped off the floor by teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, second from left, is helped off the floor by teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, left, reacts after contact with Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III, middle, is helped up by teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in San Francisco, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
The Winter Paralympics officially started on Friday, celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, with the opening ceremony in Verona, Italy.
Five decades after some 200 athletes competed in two sports at the inaugural 1976 Ornskoldsvik Winter Paralympics in Sweden, more than 600 athletes — a record number — are expected to participate across six sports at Milan Cortina through March 15.
They are competing across six sports: Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing, Para ice hockey, Para snowboard and wheelchair curling.
In the skiing sports — Para alpine skiing, Para biathlon, Para cross-country skiing — athletes compete in one of three categories: standing, sitting (on a sit-ski or monoski) or vision impaired (who race following a guide connected via radio).
Guides also receive medals.
Within each of these three categories skiers compete in different divisions depending on their functional ability. A results calculation system determines the factored time of each athlete, which allows athletes from different divisions to race against each other.
China staged the Paralympics four years ago in Beijing and set a medals record at a single Winter Games of 61. China is favored to dominate again.
The closing ceremony on March 15 is at the renovated Cortina Curling Stadium, a former venue of the 1956 Winter Olympics.
READ AND FOLLOW AP'S COVERAGE
Milan Cortina Paralympics guide: Winter Games celebrate 50 years and Russian flag returns
AP Newsroom: 2026 Winter Games
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Oksana Masters roars to Paralympic redemption at Milan Cortina with 11th gold medal 3/10
Iran says skier deeply disappointed at missing Paralympics because of war 3/10
Sweden’s Aaron Lindström to remain hospitalized after big crash at Milan Cortina Paralympics 3/10
US ‘rock star’ Paralympic skier wins silver for his late twin brother 3/9
US captain Erica McKee’s resolve puts women’s ice hockey on 2030 Paralympics track 3/9
US Paralympian Huckaby brings glitter and a snowboard with photos of her cat named ‘Mouse’ 3/9
Russian anthem rings out at Paralympics for first time in 12 years after Voronchikhina takes gold 3/9
Photo highlights from the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics 3/9
What does it mean to win gold at the Paralympics? Ask snowboard great Hernandez and her daughter 3/8
US and British curlers overcome tree accident and tumor, join record number of women at Paralympics 3/8
FIND YOUR STATE: ATHLETES WITH TIES AROUND THE US
This spreadsheet includes Team USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes, their hometowns and where they attended school.
Or view Team USA Olympians and Paralympians using AP’s Hometown Heroes interactive.
The District of Columbia and the following states have ties to hometowns of Team USA Paralympians:
ALASKA
ARIZONA
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OREGON
PENNSYLVANIA
TEXAS
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
Snowboarder Brenna Huckaby has ‘nothing left to prove’ as she chases more Paralympic gold in Cortina 3/7
American Oksana Masters in ‘shock’ after winning 20th Paralympic medal at Milan Cortina Games 3/7
Para alpine skiers Voronchikhina and Bugaev give Russia its first Paralympic medals in 12 years 3/7
Russian flag returns as Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics open amid Iran war and boycott 3/7
Iran won’t compete at Milan Cortina Paralympics as its only athlete can’t travel safely to Italy 3/6
Memories of twin inspire Paralympian Patrick Halgren to spread good vibes — one sticker at a time 3/6
A guide to the six sports at the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics 3/6
IPC hails biggest Winter Paralympics ever and record female participation at Milan Cortina Games 3/5
Paralympians try to focus on Milan Cortina Games amid tensions over Iran war, return of Russian flag 3/5
Winter Paralympics 50th anniversary: Chinese dominance expected amid boycotts over Russian flag 3/5
Curling rocked again as 2 stones are stolen at the Milan Cortina Paralympics 3/4
Figure skaters with disabilities seek a place in the Paralympic spotlight 3/3
End the ban: France backs return of intellectually disabled athletes to Winter Paralympics 3/2
Tennis stars in Dubai and Paralympians face travel issues as Middle East war continues 3/2
Double duty: Masters and select group of Paralympians compete in both Summer and Winter Games 3/1
Turmoil-hit 2030 French Alps Olympics lose CEO Cyril Linette in leadership shake-up 2/25
Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.
Rene de Silvestro, of Italy, competes in the alpine skiing men's downhill sitting competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Silver medalist Audrey Pascual Seco, of Spain, from left, gold medalist Anna-Lena Forster, of Germany, and bronze medalist Liu Sitong, of China, pose on the podium of the alpine skiing women's downhill sitting competition at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Francesca Porcellato holds a Paralympic torch to light the Paralympic cauldron during the 2026 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Gold medalist Jeroen Kampschreur, right, and bronze medalist Niels de Langen, both of the Netherlands, pose after the alpine skiing men's alpine combined sitting at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Japan's Akari Fukunishi prepares prior to the Group A preliminary round hockey match between Japan and Canada at the 2026 Winter Paralympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
