Overview
- Butler posted photos on Instagram showing a buzzcut and the caption “Bye bye braids,” a change first shared on July 27 and picked up widely by sports outlets.
- Reporters say Butler has “turned a corner” in rehab after ACL reconstruction in February but he is still expected to miss at least the start of the 2026–27 season.
- His agent Bernie Lee has said the Warriors have been committed to supporting Butler’s return, though multiple media outlets note his $54.1 million final guaranteed season complicates trade and roster planning.
- Speculative trade proposals have circulated in the offseason as Golden State explored other star options, but those trades remain hypothetical and no confirmed team-to-team deal involving Butler has been reported.
- Stephen Curry’s lighthearted Instagram jab at Butler underscores intact teammate chemistry even as Curry’s contract timing and Butler’s recovery shape the Warriors’ short-term decisions and longer-term cap flexibility.