76ers News: When Will Jimmy Butler Come Back From Wrist Injury?

The Philadelphia 76ers are just a few games back from the top seed in the Eastern Conference standings, and the good news is they should get one of their best players back soon. Jimmy Butler has missed the past three games with a wrist injury, but Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that Butler could return to the 76ers lineup as soon as Tuesday.

An examination of Butler’s wrist diagnosed his injury as a sprain, according to Haynes. He missed Saturday night’s road game in Denver, which the 76ers lost 126-110. The team had actually been fairly successful in his absence, racking up quality wins over the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

Overall, the 76ers were 2-1 in Butler’s absence, assuming he does return to the court on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Butler has averaged 19 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game this year. He is shooting 47.5 percent from the floor and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Butler had surgery last year on the same hand he injured. If he comes back against the Lakers, that game could hold some extra intrigue for a different reason: The possible return of LeBron James.

James will miss his 16th consecutive game on Sunday after sustaining a groin injury, but he returned to contact practice drills on Saturday for the first time since the injury. Lakers coach Luke Walton said he looked good, so there could be a slight possibility of both Butler and James returning to the court on Tuesday night.

It has been a somewhat tumultuous season for Butler. He forced his way out of Minnesota early in the year, with the Timberwolves trading Butler to the 76ers after the start of the regular season. The Timberwolves fired their coach not long after, while the 76ers experienced some reported friction with Butler.

There were even rumors of Butler being traded again this season, though the 76ers seemingly want to keep him around.