The streaking Warriors will get a key piece back in their rotation this week. Forward Jonathan Kuminga is expected to be active on Thursday night when Golden State hosts the Kings, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reports.
Kuminga has missed the last 31 games because of a significant lateral right ankle sprain he suffered on Jan. 4. Kuminga will have a few more hurdles to clear, including a team practice on Wednesday, before the organization’s medical staff gives the go-ahead for his return to action. He’ll be eased back on a minutes restriction, Slater adds.
Kuminga had been on a scoring binge prior to the injury. He piled up 26, 34, 34 and 20 points in the stretch of games prior to the outing against the Grizzlies, when he came down on Memphis guard Desmond Bane’s foot and rolled his ankle badly.
For the season, Kuminga has averaged 16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
Golden State’s fortunes have turned around since the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade. The Warriors were under .500 through their first 51 games of the season.
They’re now 37-28 and will carry a five-game winning streak into the matchup against Sacramento. They have moved into sixth place in the conference standings, a half-game ahead of equally hot Timberwolves as they try avoid the play-in tournament.
There are also financial implications to his return. Kuminga and the club failed to agree on a rookie scale extension before the October deadline, so he’ll be a restricted free agent after the season.
With Kerr not wanting to cut Santos’s minutes, could we see Butler at the 5 some games? A lot has changed since Kuminga last suited up. The team dynamic has completely changed. How are they going to fit JK in?
Verrrry slowwwwly.
Id assume as just a luxury punch off the bench at first till he gets back his legs- Around April 1 ( a while) they can start tightening it up and have a better read on which direction is optimal with the rotations
He will be on the bench for at least the first 2 weeks. Then it will be how well he gels with the other players. the bigger question is who minutes will he be taking?
And for now, the depth is strengthened and that will be welcome.
Now
Wolves are 100% healthy (entire roster)
It’s not easy to occupy the 6th seed
Warriors want the 4 or 5 seed. The sixth means you’re on the 2 and 3 side of the bracket and that could be nuggets and Lakers unless the Lakers drop back.
I’d rather face the thunder than the Nuggets and the three seed.
I don’t see the Lakers making the 2/3 seed- 4,5 or even 6 much more likely
SANITY CHECK. As Kerr pointed out yesterday, the recent schedule has been WEAK, and NOW gets much HARDER. That’ll determine playoff rotations
As great as Butler has looked, these last 13 games have been the easiest stretch in our season’s schedule. With Butler, we still haven’t played 1 good team at full strength — not 1 team as good as the Nuggets, Grizzlies, or Lakers we’d face in the 1st round.
Milwaukee was missing Giannis.
Dallas was missing AD, Lively, Gafford, etc.
Knicks, otherwise a Top 10 team, were missing Towns.
Rockets were missing VanVleet Eason, and Smith.
Orlando were missing Suggs and others.
This Thursday, we face Sacramento without Sabonis.
This Saturday, we face the Knicks without Brunson.
That’s the end of the easy part.
Next Monday, our 1st real test: Jokic and Nuggets.
Next Tuesday, our 2nd: Giannis and Milwaukee.
Later, we have games against a healthy Clippers (now with Kahwi), Memphis (who have manhandled us), Lakers (best team in the West the last 2 months), Denver again, etc, etc.
Dubs fans mistakenly thought we were great after beating weak teams in the season’s first 10 games. Butler has given us a new life, but Kerr knows GSW still needs to take another big step up to challenge for a Chip.
Indeed Warriors have long long way to go. Right now, they may get to 2nd round or even get knocked out of 1st round. We need to stay healthy, and we need everybody including Kuminga. Still, Warriors do have championship dna. They know what to do and how to do it. Hopefully GP2, Hield, Moody, Podz, Kuminga can all lock in and get to another level. It’s exciting that Warriors at least will have that opportinity! Go Warriors!!!!!!!
Michol- great, great, great post.
@ Giants. Fit him in on another squad next season.
You have some insider knowledge as to what Kuminga is going to do? It would make more sense for him to stay. He could learn a lot from Butler.
At what price? More a cap thing.
I understand keeping Kuminga is a cap thing. But, they are not afraid to go into luxury tax territory for Kuminga. The salary cap is going up. They could move Hield to clear space. I don’t think he’ll get offered more than $30 million in free agency. Playing alongside Butler could be a real boon to his career.
Lakob has said twice since Butler arrived that they are planning to pay Kuminga and go into the tax.
He didn’t mention specific numbers but it’ll be north of $30M.
G74, I’d like to make a suggestion for you and I. I believe that we would be better served ignoring, not responding, not engaging, etc with the poster that draws our ire. I’m not using his name here. I don’t want to encourage or motivate him any more than necessary. It only ruins my (our) time here. You and I can disagree on things in a gentlemanly fashion and that’s what this site is for. And it helps to engage with guys we respect like Gary (even tho he is a Redsox fan). Anyway, to go back to enduring that animosity and angst does me no good. And you neither I’m guessing.
Claude, I understand. I try to be reasonable. It is the snippy little comments that annoy me.
We all try reason…and logic
…and truth and reality. It doesn’t matter. Ineffective. I’m saying to COMPLETELY not respond to anything and everything.
Moody deserves the minutes. Payton deserves minutes…. playing great basketball. Podz will get his. 20 mins a game for 2 weeks maybe more if he blends with the new vibe.
And there’s a few people expecting a title on Friday…
I blame Draymond and Kuminga on this
When they dirve to the basket and takes difficult shots late in the shot clock, leading to turnovers
I blame Buddy Hield on this
Hot Hield = Young Klay Thompson
Cold Hield = Old Klay Thompson = 75% of games
Huh? What are you talking about?
Oh Scarlett666, are you getting a case of the ‘vapors’ once again? I know you Southern Belles can get rather dizzy when thinking. I know it has been tough on you since Rhett went away. Go take a nap sweetie. The maid will bring you some refreshments…
Title on Friday? What are you talking about?
Lol Draymond acting like he has to conserve energy or his body like he’s a real legit star.
Can’t wait to see him and Jimmy screaming at each other in game 4 of the first round when they’re about to get swept
Are you binge watching ‘Real Housewives of know cares’ again? Why isn’t Draymond a star?
@ Davey, the boy who cried wolf. After yesterday’s hilarious attention seeking posts. You’re now following around the guy you wanted banned and to apparently leave you alone. Lol. Hoopsrumors trolling power rankings no.1 Davey J.
Do you not know Draymond is 34? That’s old in this league. Yeah he needs to conserve energy, GSW plays at lightspeed.
I cant wait til he wins ring #5 and even more rings and makes your head literally explode.
Nice try wolves when was the last time you made it to the WCF again? Your team isn’t crap without KAT and Warriors already threatening to keep climbing.
Bahahahahahahahahahaha
the wolves made the WCF last season
The popcorn will be nice and tasty at that point…
Compare to 2022 Warriors Championship team — 9-man rotation
Butler and Pod vs Wiggins and Klay
Kuminga vs Otto Porter
Curry and Green – same
Bench
Hield vs Poole
Payton vs Payton
Looney vs Looney
Moody vs Moody
They had a fairy tale run in 22…
This time they just don’t have enough to threaten the other teams into scouting them…
“when they dirve to the basket” (voice of Buffalo bill)
The current team is definitely better. Butler is much better than Wiggins. Klay was definitely struggling. Podz is definitely playing better.
I’m clocking the depth chart like this right now:
Post Green Butler Moody Curry
Looney Kuminga Santos Payton Podziemski
Jackson-Davis Knox Hield Spencer
2W: Rowe Key Armstrong
Green Kuminga Butler Moody Curry will likely be the playoffs late/close 4Q lineup.
It’s wild how GSW is in the middle of this dynasty, the window has literally never closed. Titles in 2018, 2022 and now 2025… they have always been contenders except in the years Kerr played terrible short 2 way players who werent on the team the next year, over Kuminga and Moody. Moody was always better than Ty Jerome.
Bahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha.
The copium is on in San Fran…
The copium is too damn high in San Francisco
> Green Kuminga Butler Moody Curry will likely be the
> playoffs late/close 4Q lineup.
Davey , I’m almost in complete agreement with this 5, and I just might get all the way there soon.
I think Podz plays over Moody because he brings better ball-handling and team defense, but it’s clear now that Jimmy can be the secondary ball-handler, making Podz less valuable. In any case, Moody is now the 6th guy, at worst, and is better suited to close against some teams.
GP2 and Gui have roles in closing games where we have large leads. Buddy and Post may close when we need points. There will be a few games where Looney makes sense.
Post, and Buddy could
You have a problem with your lineup. Green/Butler/Podz have great chemistry. They are a +58 with a defensive rating of 98. Kerr knows this. It would be hard to break that up. Maybe Kuminga can develop that kinda chemistry with the other two. Are there enough games to get that done.
Giants74,. Good points, but.. This is about closing, not rotations. When closing, BOTH teams are going with their best. Kerr will tell you this: you can’t close against great teams playing more than 1 small or 1 unathletic defender. You need 4 guys that can switch and guard multiple.positions and the 3 point line. It’s a 5 minute sprint.
In the death lineup of old, only Steph was the only small. Klay, Iggy, Barnes, Draymond, KD, Livingston, and, later, Wiggins are all long and switchable.
Wiggins is gone, so JK and Jimmy are the only “plus” wing defenders with length that can switch on the roster. Podz is a strong on-ball and team defender, but he can’t guard athletic wings or the 3 point line
In Butler’s 13 games, we haven’t faced a closing lineup like we will in the playoffs. Playing Steph and Podz together does’t work against teams like:
1) OKC: SGA, JWilliams, Chet, Hartenstein
2) CLippers: Kahwi, Harden, Powell, Zubac
3) Memphis: Ja, Bane, JJacksonJr, Aldana
4) Lakers: Luka, LeBron, Reaves
5) Denver: Jokic, Gordon, Porter.
Etc
I don’t know what Kerr would say. But, it is hard to not play guys who have great chemistry together. Knowing your teammates is half the battle.
The Warriors may not have played anyone tough. But, Butler 1st met with Kerr 30 minutes before his 1st game. So basically, no knowledge of the team. He still scored 25 points. He is still learning about the team. There is room for improvement and growth.
Giants74, we’re in agreement about this: the chemistry is great, including between Butler, Podz, and Draymond. And Kerr should stay with it. Also, there will be more improvement with time and experience.
But, per Kerr last night and Dunleavey today on the TK Show, there is a lot left to do in order to be successful in the playoffs. Regarding Kuminga, Dunleavey used exactly the same words as Kerr:. “we want to get JK back at his best because HE RAISES OUR CEILING”. It’s at the 21 minute mark of this interview from today.
link to youtu.be
This is about getting to the next level. We’re not there yet, but hopefully by the end of the season.
Now that Butler is on the team, Kuminga will never close. He doesnt need to and frankly, he hasnt proven he can. And that’s OK. He just needs to play defense, go after loose ball, rebound like madman, and contribute in anyway possible. It’s about WINNING at all cost and he will gain invaluable experience. He will score plenty too!
Michol –
In the last week, we’ve heard Lakob, Kerr, and, today, Dunleavey, all say that they intend to integrate because, using exactly the same term, “he raises our ceiling”.
It’s as simple as that: to get to the next level, the Warriors believe they need JK at his best, playing big minutes. You can hear Dunleavey talk about it at the 21 minute mark:
link to youtu.be
As Lakob said. 6 days ago “he’s not getting a huge deal to come off the bench”. Kuminga was scoring 27.3 points per 36 minutes in 2025. Without Wiggins, he’s our best all-around wing defender. The goal is to maximize him as soon as he’s ready.
@davey Moody and Kuminga were always better than Anthony Lamb, Ty Jerome, and Lester Quinones.
But Kerr loves to play guys on 2-way/G-League contracts even if it means sitting lottery picks in their second and third seasons like Kuminga and Moody.
It wouldn’t bother me so much if the team wanted to keep these G-Leaguers, but the team always cuts them loose the day the season ends.
Something is wrong when you don’t make the playoffs and you have played G-Leaguers over your high draft picks. If you’re gonna lose at least develop your young talent.
@EMS – exactly right on all of that. Kerr’s malpractice in development of Kuminga and Moody is what really drew my ire towards him. Both of them should have been starting 2 years ago. Moody averaging 13 then 17 MPG was particularly egregious, he should have been averaging 20 MPG both years, but 2way types for some reason got more play.
Oh well, cant ignore Moody anymore, he’s the glue guy out there.
Moody will never be part of the playoffs closing lineup. Ever. Never ever.
Gary , you old curmudgeon, Ok, I’ll give you that Moody won’t close in the playoffs, but how about at least recognizing that he’s been very solid recently. Dont you think he’s developed into that $12M/yr rotation player the Warriors gave an extension to 4 months ago? Be fair and honest.
@aristotle
Podz can’t be out there with Dray, Steph and Jimmy, that’s too many cooks. Moody is the perfect glue guy out there with that group, and he is breaking out as a scorer too, while keeping the big names engaged. Really tough role to learn but Moody is passing with flying colors right now. Podz comes in to replace any of those big 3 though, I am not as high on Podz defense and sometimes erratic energy out there, but if matchups are right, I have no problem seeing him out there in the closing unit. Moody just has that playoffs focus. I have also been super impressed with Moody’s uprising in the last month. He’s here as an NBA regular and imo, a starter/top 5 MPG guy on this Warriors team.
Moody sucks.
Big news. They might get the 6 seed.
He may be good with the 2nd unit but should stay away from the starting unit. Kuminga doesn’t do anything really well: doesnt shoot well, doesn’t rebound much, and no rim protection.
He’s an athletic and quick but not much else.
Butler is going to feed him and put him in a position to be very successful.