Warriors 'don't envision' trading Butler despite ACL tear - ESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy told reporters on Tuesday night that he has no plans to move Jimmy Butler's contract prior to the Feb. 6 deadline, despite Butler's torn ACL and the team's desperate need for a roster upgrade to realistically compete in the Western Conference.

«I don't envision that,» Dunleavy said. «Now that you've brought it up, I'd say my vision for him is to give us a boost next year the same way he did last year when he arrived.»

The Warriors had a lower-profile but relatively similar situation manifest last regular season. Veteran guard De'Anthony Melton tore his ACL in November. In December, Dunleavy traded Melton's contract to the Brooklyn Nets for Dennis Schroder. In February, he flipped Schroder as part of the package to the Miami Heat to acquire Butler.

On Tuesday night, Butler tore his right ACL on an awkward landing against the Heat. The injury ends his season, and his absence, as Dunleavy admitted, is expected to bleed into next regular season.

Butler is owed $54.1 million this season and $56.8 million next season in the final year of his current deal.

As the Warriors sort through the aftermath of the devastating injury news, there has been a thought that they could use his contract out on the trade market — presumably attached to draft picks — as an avenue to upgrade this win-now roster around Stephen Curry. Dunleavy shot that down.

«At his age, to have the year he's had is impressive,» Dunleavy said of Butler, who will turn 37 before next season. «I think he's got a style of game that can play for a long time with his skill, his physicality, his mind for the game. So I guess my vision for him is him returning at some point between now and this time next