Overview of Real Ones — "Jimmy Butler Suffers a Torn ACL. Plus, Real Ones All-Star Reserves"
This episode of The Ringer’s Real Ones (hosts Logan Murdoch, Raja Bell, Howard Beck) opens on the somber news that Jimmy Butler tore his right ACL during the Warriors’ win over Miami. The hosts discuss immediate and long-term ramifications for Butler and the Golden State Warriors (on-court, roster-building, front-office/ownership decisions, team psyche). The second half of the episode is a round-robin where the three hosts reveal and debate their All-Star reserve ballots, while also criticizing the NBA’s new All-Star format and voting process.
Key takeaways — Jimmy Butler injury and Warriors fallout
- The injury: Jimmy Butler tore his right ACL on an inbound play late in a Warriors win over the Heat. He’s expected to miss the rest of this season and likely the start of next — roughly a year-long recovery window. He also has a history of prior knee issues (torn meniscus in 2018; MCL sprain in 2024).
- Immediate competitive impact: Without Butler, the hosts agree the Warriors’ hopes of being a West contender are effectively over this season. Butler was a primary on/off engine alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green; losing him removes the team’s top defensive and all-around stabilizing presence.
- Player career implications: Butler will turn 37 in September and is on the downside of his career arc; an ACL at that age complicates his return and the final year(s) of his deal.
- Team record and timing: Golden State was 25–19, on a decent recent run and within range of higher seed/Play-In hopes — the timing makes the injury especially costly.
- Front-office dilemmas: The injury magnifies pressure on ownership and decision-makers to (a) decide whether to push for short-term upgrades around Curry, (b) proceed with or reconsider any Jonathan Kuminga trade, and (c) possibly trade draft capital/young pieces to obtain proven talent. The hosts strongly suggest the organization owes Curry a legitimate chance to compete in his remaining prime years — even if it means spending draft assets.
- Roster constraints: Golden State lacks many movable, high-value trade chips beyond Kuminga, Moody and draft picks. Trading Kuminga still seems likely — his value is muddled, but the urgency after Butler’s injury weakens the Warriors’ leverage.
- Team culture & morale: The injury is a psychological blow; the Warriors were already showing signs of on-court friction (rotation disputes, visible frustration). Losing a veteran difference-maker like Butler risks deeper clubhouse deflation and makes short-term cohesion harder to achieve.
- Organizational critique: The hosts revisit the “two-timeline” strategy criticism — building for post‑Steph while trying to win now — calling some prior draft/asset decisions ill-conceived and partially responsible for the current constrained state. Ownership’s meddling and past draft choices get flagged as contributing factors.
- Stats cited: The hosts note Curry remains elite (EPM ≈ +5.3, top-10) and Butler was a very impactful player (EPM ≈ +4.3). Those metrics are used to argue the Warriors must treat the present as meaningful while Curry is still elite.
Specific discussion points and insights
- “Death blow” framing: Several hosts said Butler’s injury essentially ends any realistic short-term title hopes for Golden State.
- On Kuminga: The panel agreed Kuminga hasn’t been the answer to fill Butler’s role and that his trade demand was tone-deaf given the front office’s long-running desire to move him; however, they clarified earlier comments that suggested locker-room dislike were overstated — the friction is largely a product of front-office/political dynamics.
- Obligations to Curry: Howard Beck argued ownership must “do right by Steph,” even if that means sacrificing some draft capital or young players to field a competitive team in Curry’s remaining years.
- Ownership vs. basketball ops: The hosts trace current problems to earlier owner-driven strategy choices (draft preferences, “two-timeline” thinking) and say those choices limited the team’s flexibility now.
All-Star reserves segment — format critique and ballots (high level)
- Format confusion: All three hosts criticized the NBA’s revamped All-Star format (USA vs. World + multiple starting lineups). They argued the ballot and resulting labels (“starters”) are needlessly confusing and reduce All-Star honors’ clarity.
- Voting/award usefulness: The hosts suggested All-Star results are increasingly muddled and unreliable as a barometer of career standing; they recommended relying more on awards like All-NBA for historical evaluation.
- Common reserve names discussed: Anthony Edwards, Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Alperen Şengün (referred to in the transcript), Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, James Harden, and others came up frequently as debated reserves. The hosts also discussed East candidates like Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Johnson, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Duren, Desmond Bane, Karl-Anthony Towns, Norman Powell, Pascal Siakam, Michael Porter Jr., and more.
- Verdict: The hosts emphasized the exercise is subjective and often inconsistent across conferences — the East felt thin and the West had many potential snubs, underlining the flaw in the current selection rules.
Notable quotes / moments
- “This is a death blow to the season.” — characterization of Jimmy Butler’s injury impact.
- “Do right by Steph.” — repeated theme: management should prioritize giving Curry competitive teams in his remaining prime.
- Logan’s on-air clarification/apology: He corrected a prior remark that may have implied broad locker-room dislike for Kuminga, clarifying the issue is front-office mismanagement and internal politics.
Recommended next steps (for Warriors decision-makers, distilled from the pod)
- Reassess short-term roster strategy: decide whether to pivot to a “win-now” posture (trade assets for proven players) or fully commit to long-term reset — but recognize Curry’s window argues for urgency.
- Revisit Kuminga’s trade options: maintain pursuit of a deal but be cautious of weakened leverage; explore what assets can realistically be acquired for meaningful help.
- Communicate plan to core players: be transparent with Curry, Draymond and the locker room about organizational direction to limit morale/effort hangover.
- Manage on-court adjustments: find ways to reduce Curry’s usage burden (create new offensive initiators), even if imperfect, and lean on culture/leadership to limit deflation.
- Monitor Butler’s recovery timeline and contract situation, and plan cap/roster implications accordingly.
Episode tone and closing
The episode is heavy and reflective in its first half, grappling with the suddenness and stakes of Butler’s ACL and the cascading consequences for the Warriors era. The latter half lightens into spirited All-Star debate, albeit with sustained skepticism about league processes. Hosts close by promising a future mailbag episode and encouraging listener feedback.
If you want a one-sentence recap: Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL likely ends Golden State’s realistic hopes this season and forces urgent organizational decisions about trades and how to honor Steph Curry’s remaining prime; the hosts then debate the messy All-Star voting/results and list their reserve ballots (with notable disagreement and format complaints).