Klay Thompson enjoyed the Warriors' safety net Jimmy Butler may desperately need image
Klay Thompson had the luxury of returning to a contender. Jimmy Butler may not get the same cushion this time around for the Golden State Warriors.
Thompson missed nearly two full seasons after tearing his ACL and then his Achilles during rehab, one of the longest injury layoffs of his career. Butler's own recovery from a torn ACL is now tied to a Golden State roster in transition, not a dynasty waiting to absorb the hit.
Klay Thompson’s return came with a championship safety net
The comparison first circulated through a recent post breaking down how differently the Warriors' season is shaping up compared to Thompson's return in January 2022.
When Thompson finally came back that January, Golden State sat atop the Western Conference alongside Phoenix, with a healthy Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and championship-caliber depth already in place. That cushion mattered. Thompson shot a then career-worst 38.5 percent from three and finished only eighth on the team in plus-minus over his final 43 games. None of it derailed the season, and the Warriors walked away with a fourth championship in eight years.
Longtime insider Monte Poole made clear just how different the front office's posture is heading into this season. "Dub Nation had been warned that 2026-27 was lining up as a 'gap year,'" Poole wrote. "The offseason focus would be on internal development rather than external additions. Do not expect gifts in July. None came."
GM Mike Dunleavy struck a similarly modest tone back in May. "The top priority is to take care of the ball, limit turnovers," Dunleavy said, rather than promising outside help for Butler's eventual return.
Butler tore his ACL in January 2026 and is expected to miss the start of next season, with some reports suggesting he may not return until 2027.
Jimmy Butler’s path back looks much more uncertain now
Golden State enters the season with seven players over 30, an aging core with little remaining flexibility to reshape itself on the fly. Rather than chasing outside additions, the front office largely ran back last year's group, re-signing Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Gary Payton II, while adding only rookie Yaxel Lendeborg through the draft.
That leaves development, not depth, as the plan. Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski are expected to carry a heavier load in the meantime, with speculation still connecting the franchise to bigger names such as a $73 million six-time All-Star who could eventually pair with Curry.
Thompson's own history with the team has remained part of the conversation about what kept his career going this long, even after his departure to Dallas, while analysts question whether an aging, Curry-centered core can absorb a half-season without Butler and still have something left to build on once he returns.
For Klay Thompson, the comeback was buffered by a dynasty. For Jimmy Butler, it may decide the Warriors' future.
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