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After missing out on their sterling targets this offseason, the Golden State Warriors have no other choice but to deploy nearly the same roster that caused them to miss the playoffs last season.

To make matters worse, their nucleus is one year older, and a vital part of that nucleus, Jimmy Butler, remains sidelined to begin their campaign.

When could Jimmy Butler return to the court?

As reported by ESPN’s Anthony Slater the All-Star forward’s timeline for his return from ACL injury rehab is around January or February of the next calendar year, and that is being optimistic. Well, that update is probably well within a realistic range, but it does not change the fact that it threatens the Warriors’ playoff hopes next season.

The Western Conference is not going to get more lenient this season, not with nearly all teams expected to pack a stronger collective punch. As constructed, the Warriors are probably in the play-in tournament echelon out West, and that might not even be a secure proposition to make and believe in.

Butler’s secondary scoring, playmaking and multi-positional defense are so vital to this Warriors team that without him, they are simply that much more vulnerable, especially against teams with a lot of firepower in the backcourt and the wings.

However, by the time Butler has made his comeback, the Warriors might already be lagging behind in the standings. If that happens, the front office might just deem it more sensible to shut him down for the year, or more drastically, find a new taker for his services.

While Stephen Curry is still functioning like an All-NBA player, the Warriors are just too old to expect to be a firm winning team. They are also not the most durable of ball clubs right now, and Butler’s absence perfectly exemplifies their current state.