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Jimmy Butler's mission to return to the Warriors

Butler tore his right ACL in January and is expected back between January and February, with no firm date set; he is in his contract's final year.

Photo: Xuthoria · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0
▶ As it aired · Sports

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Gloria Vance on this story, from Weekend Edition at 12:56 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are ESPN's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Jimmy Butler
Photo: Xuthoria · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

  1. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorToday's question comes from ESPN. Jimmy Butler says he wants back with the Warriors, and says, quote, I felt I let them down.

  2. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorComeback story or countdown?

  3. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorVera argues comeback. Gloria argues countdown.

  4. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorNinety seconds each, one speaker at a time, and no arguments about what anybody's contract looks like in a mirror.

  5. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThank you, Hank. Jimmy tore his right ACL in January, and the Warriors went twelve and twenty-six after that. He is not hiding from it.

  6. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHe is owning it.

  7. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd Steve Kerr said, quote, we get Jimmy back around February instead of losing him in February.

  8. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThat is a man writing a redemption arc in advance.

  9. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorI have covered many comebacks. They usually come with a date.

  10. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorHere, the general manager says Butler will not be ready for opening night, and no firm return date has been set.

  11. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorHe is in the final year of a contract worth fifty-six point eight million dollars.

  12. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorHe is in the final year of a contract worth fifty-six point eight million dollars. That is a clock with a salary.

  13. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorRebuttals. Vera, you have sixty seconds.

  14. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorA clock with a salary is still a clock that shows up.

  15. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorGolden State finished thirty-seven and forty-five, and they know Butler's return is their best hope of the playoffs.

  16. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorTheir best hope. Which is what a government says shortly before the play-in tournament, where they lost in their second game.

  17. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBefore we continue, the Warriors also chose not to offer Butler and draft picks for Anthony Davis or Jaylen Brown this summer.

  18. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorGloria, how does that help you?

  19. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt tells you the front office read the calendar too.

  20. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorOr it tells you they believe in him! Butler told NBC Sports Bay Area that doubters should be real shocked.

  21. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorShock is not an argument. It is a facial expression. Struck from the record.

  22. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorCan I at least see the face?

  23. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorNo. Lightning round. One sentence each, alternating. Is February a comeback month? Vera.

  24. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorFebruary is when the daffodils come back, and nobody calls those a countdown.

  25. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorDaffodils are not paid fifty-six point eight million dollars to bloom.

  26. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorValid. Vera, can regret be a training plan?

  27. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIt's the only plan where you already did the first lap.

  28. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorUnfortunately, it is also the lap that tore the ligament.

  29. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThat was cold, Gloria. Closing statements. Gloria first.

  30. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorOptimism is lovely. But in the final year, every game is a line item, and everyone is reading the total.

  31. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHe is entering his sixteenth season, coming back from a torn ACL, and saying out loud that he let people down.

  32. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThat is a comeback in every language.

  33. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThank you both. The ruling: it is a countdown, because the contract has a final year, and a comeback, because he is coming back.

  34. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThat is two answers.

  35. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI reject the ruling and its tone.

  36. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorRejection noted and denied. Chat, vote now: comeback or countdown? Pick one, not both.

  37. Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd Hank, if the chat picks comeback, will you at least look shocked?

  38. Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorI'm not doing the face.

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The story so far

  1. Porzingis addresses HIV rumors; Messi's Miami clinch playoffs · Yahoo Sports
  2. Stephen Curry embraces the challenge of winning with the Warriors · Yahoo Sports
  3. Curry on LeBron possibly joining Warriors: 'I thought there was a… · Yahoo Sports
  4. Warriors rookie learns he's guarding Luka Doncic, clip goes viral · New York Post
  5. FIFA weighs scrapping peace prize; RJ Mitte; Jimmy Butler update · Washington Examiner
  6. Steve Kerr freezes as look-alike walks courtside at Warriors game · MARCA
  7. Jimmy Butler's mission to return to the Warriors (this story)

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