“I Don’t Wanna Be a Liar”: Jimmy Butler Makes Honest Admission on Injury Recovery

Jimmy Butler is making progress in his recovery from a serious knee injury. However, the Golden State Warriors star is not ready to give a date for his return.

During a conversation with Frank Isola on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Butler shared a positive update about his recovery. He is eager to return to the court, but he wants to complete his recovery first and make sure he is ready to play again.

Isola asked Butler how he was feeling and when he could return to the court. The Warriors star explained why he did not want to give a date.

“As far as a target date goes, I wouldn't want to be a liar, so I don't tell anybody a target date, but as soon as I can take the floor, I promise you I'm getting backed out there and competing,” Butler said on the SiriusXM NBA Radio Show. 

The six-time NBA All-Star has started running and jogging again after tearing his right ACL in January 2026. Still, Butler does not want to promise a return date because he cannot be sure when he will be ready to play.

Butler does not want to give fans false hope by naming a date before he knows when he can return. Instead, he wants to focus on his recovery and let his progress decide when he can play again.

The 37-year-old also made one thing clear. He wants to return to the court and compete as soon as his body allows.

Jimmy Butler is recovering from a torn right ACL. This is a serious injury that can keep a basketball player out for many months. Even if a player can run again, it does not mean they are ready to play in a full NBA game.

Jimmy Butler shares a positive update on his recovery

Although Butler has not given a return date, his latest comments show that he has made progress in his recovery.

“I'm feeling great, surgery went well, we've been, you know, obviously doing this rehab thing, going through that process, but all in all, I'm back moving on the floor some, running, jogging, doing all of that, the beginning steps of all that,” Butler said. 

Butler has started running and jogging again. This is a positive step in his recovery. However, he also called these activities the first steps, which means he still has more work to do before he can return to NBA action.

Butler had surgery in February 2026 to repair his torn right ACL. He suffered the injury against the Miami Heat on January 19. The Warriors later confirmed that Butler would miss the rest of the 2025-26 season.

Before his injury, Butler averaged 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 38 games for Golden State. His absence hurt the team because he brought scoring, passing, and valuable experience to the lineup.

This is not the first time Butler has missed games because of an injury. In April 2024, he injured the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee during Miami's Play-In Tournament game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

These injury problems have stopped him from playing at important times.

However, his current injury is more serious than a minor sprain. A torn ACL usually needs a much longer recovery period. Butler must rebuild his strength, improve his movement, and regain his fitness before he can safely return to the court.

Running and jogging are good signs, but he still needs to prepare for the speed and physical demands of an NBA game.

Butler's latest update gives Warriors fans a reason to feel positive about his recovery. However, he has not confirmed when he will return.

He has started running and jogging, but he still needs more time to prepare for NBA games. For now, Butler wants to focus on his recovery instead of rushing back.