Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Roster, Injury News 2018: Jimmy Butler Out Indefinitely After Knee Surgery
Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler is going to have to sit out a significant amount of games after he sustained an injury to his right knee during their game against the Houston Rockets last Friday.
Butler was diagnosed with a right meniscus injury after he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan on Saturday. On Sunday, the Timberwolves announced that he has gone under the knife to repair the damage to his knee, and he is going to be out indefinitely while he recovers.
As noted by Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, recovery from a meniscus injury typically takes four-to-six weeks. The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson has reported that Butler has told his confidants that he should be back before the postseason begins.
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Well, the good news is that Butler did not tear his anterior cruciate ligament. However, the Timberwolves will sorely miss his presence as they continue to battle for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.
"It still sucks he has a tough injury; all injuries are tough, but the doctors are saying some good things, so we'll see in a few weeks maybe," forward Taj Gibson said, according to ESPN. However, Gibson also noted that Butler should not return to the court unless he is fully healthy.
"Over the years, I've already seen guys rush back, and those kind of things kind of hurt a player's career. You may be OK for the first couple games, but as it goes on the next couple years, your progress kind of slows down. I just want him to be safe and do it the right way," he stated.
Butler is now averaging 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.9 steals in under 38 minutes per game this season. He is also shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from beyond the arc, and 86.5 percent from the free-throw line.
