After Butler went down, the Warriors faced a tough choice between two options.

Sometimes you just have to marvel at how coincidental everything is.

A year ago, the Warriors acquired Butler from the Heat. One year later, on the night Wiggins returned home and Butler faced his old team again, Butler went down with a torn ACL, ending his season. A person's destiny often shifts in a moment, and Butler's fate and his narrative with the Warriors began moving in an unforeseen direction.

Butler’s injury happened right when the Warriors were playing their best basketball, riding a four-game winning streak back into the Western Conference top eight, having won 12 of their last 16 games. During this stretch, even Curry’s form was somewhat average, while others stepped up, with Melton delivering outstanding performances and Poole playing like Curry did yesterday.

That’s why Butler’s season-ending injury feels so heartbreaking. Before he got hurt, the Warriors still had a chance. Curry was always the most reliable player, Butler created countless playoff miracles, and the team’s chemistry was improving steadily.

Butler averaged 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this season. He logged the most minutes for the Warriors and had the highest cumulative plus-minus. When Butler was on the court, the Warriors outscored opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions. But the moment his ligament tore, all of that vanished.

The Warriors’ trade for Butler a year ago, followed by a $110 million two-year extension, was a bold gamble, betting on his prime years at 25 and 26. Now, with his injury, the recovery could take up to a year, meaning he might miss nearly half of next season as well as the rest of this one.

Moreover, there’s no guarantee Butler will return at his current level after recovery. Over the past 20 years in the NBA, 36-year-old Butler is the second oldest player to suffer an ACL tear. The oldest was Birdman Anderson, whose injury forced him into retirement.

By the time Butler comes back, he’ll be over 37 years old. Even without injury, it’s unlikely next season’s Butler will be stronger than this year’s. For the Warriors’ management, a key point is that Curry will turn 38 in less than two months.

Curry remains very strong, having just been named a starter for the All-Star game yesterday, but you have to admit he is gradually declining. This season, his standout performances have been limited; he posted his lowest three-point shooting percentage in nearly four years and missed several games due to two injuries.

Time waits for no one. While grieving, the Warriors’ management should also be grateful that Butler got injured before the trade deadline, giving them options. Now, the Warriors face two choices: tank or push for a playoff run.

If they decide to tank, there’s no point in trading Kuminga. Although he has requested a trade, following Coach Kerr’s usual approach, they might soothe him. Promising Kuminga a starting role and plenty of shot opportunities to build stats for half a season, then discussing trades after the offseason contract execution would benefit everyone.

The Warriors hold their 2026 first-round pick, initially intended for trade upgrades. Now, with Butler out for the season, trading is less necessary. The 2026 draft is considered strong, so tanking could land the Warriors a potential top-10 rookie, giving hope for next season.

The Warriors’ management loves trying to have it all, but they probably favor tanking here. However, the downside is wasting another season of Curry’s prime. Curry is about to turn 38; while no one expects him to leave the Warriors, closing his championship window so abruptly seems harsh.

The other path is the exact opposite strategy: seize the last peak moments of Curry’s prime by sacrificing all future assets to maximize the team’s strength. Kuminga will definitely be traded, and everyone except Curry could be moved, including the injured Butler.

Trading Butler immediately after his injury may seem ruthless and heartless, but the NBA is a business, and time never stops for anyone. All the Warriors’ current success and value growth come from Curry. To pursue Curry’s potential fifth championship, the Warriors can give up any asset.

Choosing this route means the Warriors’ management and owner Lacob completely abandon the idea of both competing now and developing for the future. They’ve already suffered setbacks with Wiseman and Kuminga and should realize that trying to do both is foolish.

Of course, the worst case is doing nothing. Proceeding with trading Kuminga but failing to get useful players, pushing Curry through more hardship, scraping a play-in spot, maybe making the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round, and drafting another player like Poole or Wiseman in the draft.

Butler’s unexpected injury is truly unfortunate, but it’s a risk the Warriors accepted when they traded for him. Now that it has happened, everyone must look ahead.