Jimmy Butler Wants to End His NBA Career in Golden State. Here’s Why.

Jimmy Butler has been around the NBA block. Five teams. Six All-Star nods. A reputation as one of the league’s most intense competitors. But for the first time in a long time, he sounds like a guy who wants to plant roots.

Speaking with ESPN at a team event in San Francisco, Butler made it clear he sees the Warriors as his final stop. Not just his next stop. His last one.

“End is a bad word, but this is where I want to be done,” Butler said. “Retire here. This organization is top-tier. It’s the best. Keep it a buck. It’s the best. You’re playing with one of the greatest players ever. I’m grateful to be able to witness this. I want to be able to do my part, get this organization back on top where we belong.”

How He Got Here

Butler landed in Golden State at the 2025 trade deadline after a messy exit from Miami. The Heat drama was loud and public. The Warriors took a chance on a 35-year-old star with a dicey injury history and a strong personality. It worked immediately. Golden State snuck into the playoffs through the Play-In Tournament, beating Memphis, then took out Houston in a seven-game first-round series. They ran into Minnesota in the second round and lost in five games after Stephen Curry got hurt.

This past season was supposed to be the full reset. Butler’s first full year with the team. But on January 19, he tore his left ACL. Season over. Just like that.

What Comes Next

Butler is now in recovery mode. And he’s making it clear he’s not looking for another fresh start somewhere else. He wants to come back, play next to Curry, and help Golden State climb back into contention. The Warriors have been in a weird spot since their 2022 title — still competitive, still dangerous, but never quite the same dominant force. Butler believes he can be part of the solution.

Whether the front office feels the same way long-term remains to be seen. Butler is under contract, but he’ll be 36 by the time he’s healthy enough to play again. Tearing an ACL at that age is not nothing. But if Butler has his way, he’ll retire in a Warriors uniform. And he sounds like he means it.