The Golden State Warriors are entering the season with a tough path towards finding success. A rocky offseason has seen Golden State adding zero new free agents or trade pieces yet. The Warriors entered the summer hoping to land LeBron James, but he clearly didn’t believe in their chances of true NBA Championship contention. Golden State will be banking on their current roster overachieving in the season.
Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel revealed that one pivotal member of the Warriors could return faster than expected for a positive update:
“Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, when are they going to be back? So far, so good for both of them; they’ve been looking good in their workouts, they’ve been progressing nicely, and there’s been no setbacks to this point.
We’ve even heard some small hints about Butler being ahead of schedule. Does this mean he’s gonna be back in December, early January? We don’t know yet; there’s no timeline that this team has put on these guys. We do know they’re ahead of schedule right now. Butler is looking good, and he’s aiming to be back before the trade deadline.”
Golden State must get back Butler and Moody at some point to have a fair chance of making the NBA Playoffs. Stephen Curry can still play at an All-NBA level, but he needs help for the team to pile up wins. Butler returning from his torn ACL and playing at a high level is the biggest help the Warriors can realistically get.
When Can Warriors Get Jimmy Butler Back
Butler is a fascinating player to have on the roster since his impact doesn’t always come from stats. Even if Golden State doesn’t get Butler back at full strength, he’ll be able to help the team and do things to spotlight young talents like Yaxel Lendeborg.
Leadership and a history of being a flat out winner makes Butler important for the Warriors. The return should be expected around the All-Star break since the mid-season point often makes sense.
Jayson Tatum’s faster return from a similar injury last season showed that today’s medical advances can help speed things up. Siegel’s report would pinpoint Butler potentially coming back as early as January or even December if he’s going to keep this pace.
How Far Can Golden State Go With Jimmy Butler
The only negative thing about this update is that Butler may not be enough to make Golden State contenders. A top trio of Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green is likely not enough to make up the gap with the elite West teams.
Fans expect the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs to both dominate the West again with their young rosters. Butler’s return would certainly raise the ceiling of the Warriors, but it is a tough sell for them to contend.
Another trade is likely needed at next season’s trade deadline for Golden State to have dreams of winning playoff series. Anthony Davis has been linked to the Warriors in case things don’t work out with the Washington Wizards. For now, Golden State fans should settle for the good Butler news and worry about the rest later.
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