Stein’s Latest: Butler, Morant, Sixers, Mavericks
The Warriors will reportedly consider all their options leading up to the February 5 trade deadline, but it’s unlikely that they’ll include Jimmy Butler in an in-season trade after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear, Marc Stein writes for The Stein Line (Substack link). General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said as much on Tuesday, and that wasn’t just posturing, according to Stein.
As Stein explains, while the Warriors went that route with De’Anthony Melton last season after he tore his ACL, Melton was on a modest expiring contract, whereas moving Butler’s deal ($54.1MM this season, $56.8MM in 2026/27) would be far more complicated. Additionally, Golden State has posted a 46-22 regular season record with Butler on the court since acquiring him last season and still believe he can return and help the team before the end of the 2026/27 season.
On top of that, there’s the human element to consider, Stein notes. Dunleavy played with Butler in Chicago before his retirement as a player and has known him for more than a decade, which could make the Warriors’ GM more reluctant to part ways with the star forward in the early stages of his recovery from a serious injury.
Here are a few more rumors and notes from Stein:
- Ja Morant‘s popularity in Memphis will be a factor the Grizzlies take into account as they weigh trade scenarios involving the two-time All-Star, says Stein. In Stein’s view, the Grizzlies would have a hard time selling their fans on a return similar to the one Atlanta got for Trae Young earlier this month (CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert) and would probably need to get back more than a couple favorable veteran contracts to make a deal worthwhile. Given the limited league-wide interest in Morant so far, extracting a stronger package that includes intriguing young talent and/or draft assets will be a challenge.
- The Sixers and Mavericks are among the teams with multiple players on two-way contracts whom they want to promote to their standard roster before the end of the season, Stein writes. A league source says Philadelphia is expected to find a way to convert both Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, and Stein believes Dallas will seek a path to promote both Ryan Nembhard and Moussa Cisse. The 76ers currently have one open standard roster spot but are operating in tax territory, while the Mavs have a full 15-man roster and minimal flexibility below its second-apron hard cap.
- As we outlined over the weekend in a Front Office story, the Sixers are fast approaching their limit of 90 “under-15” games — a team carrying fewer than 15 players on its standard roster can only use a total of 90 active games for all of its two-way players, and Philadelphia is now at 86. That means in order to keep Barlow and Walker active beyond this Saturday, one will have to be promoted sooner rather than later, or the 76ers will have to fill their 15th roster spot with a newcomer.
Warriors’ Dunleavy, Kerr Discuss Butler, Kuminga
Speaking to the media prior to Tuesday’s game against Toronto, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he doesn’t expect to trade Jimmy Butler in the wake of his season-ending torn right ACL, per Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter video link).
“I don’t envision that, but now that you’ve brought it up, I guess I’d say what I envision for him is kind of give us a boost next year the same way he did last year when he arrived,” Dunleavy said. “And so, at some point during the (2026/27) season he’ll be returning.
“And being the player he’s been — I mean, at his age, what he’s doing this year, to have the year he’s had is impressive. I think he’s got the style of game that can play for a long time with his skill, his physicality, his mind for the game. So I guess my vision for him is him returning at some point between now and this time next year.”
Dunleavy added that he was “crushed” for Butler and it was “tough to say” how his injury will impact the decisions the front office makes ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
“We hate it for him but the beat goes on,” Dunleavy said.
Golden State’s top basketball executive also discussed fifth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, who demanded a trade on Jan. 15, the first day he was eligible to be moved. Dunleavy was surprisingly transparent about Kuminga’s market value, or lack thereof.
“As far as the demand, I’m aware of that,” Dunleavy said (Twitter video link via Slater). “In terms of demands, when there’s a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market. So we’ll see how that unfolds.”
Dunleavy said he was fine with working with Kuminga or any other player who wants a change of scenery, “but we’ve got to do what’s best for our organization and that’s what we’ll do.” He added that he would take the next couple of weeks to evaluate where the team stands following Butler’s devastating injury.
“I’m disappointed it hasn’t worked out better,” Dunleavy said, per Slater (Twitter link). “But it is what it is…I know a trade has been requested. But nothing is imminent. Things in this league can change in a heartbeat, as they did last night. So he’s gotta be ready.”
Here’s more on Butler, Kuminga and the Warriors:
- Dunleavy also talked about the possibility of trading future first-round picks, Slater adds (via Twitter). “If we’re talking about trading draft picks that will be going out when Steph (Curry) isn’t here, it’s going to have to be a player that we think we’ll be getting back that is going to be here when those picks are going out.”
- As Friedell writes for The Athletic, head coach Steve Kerr also discussed both players ahead of Tuesday’s contest. “Most of all just disappointed for Jimmy,” Kerr said. “He’s having a great year. I felt, like the last couple weeks, he was really at the top of his game. So, for him, and for us, obviously, but for him individually in the middle of a really great season with a lot of possibilities … I just feel terrible for him that he’s gonna miss the rest of the year. It’s part of the game. Injuries are part of it, but it hurts for sure.”
- Kerr said while the team will obviously miss Butler’s contributions, he’s confident the Warriors will remain competitive without the star forward, noting they have a “really good rhythm” after winning six of their past seven games.
- As for Kuminga, Kerr said he believes the 23-year-old wants to play for the Warriors and receive rotation minutes. But Kerr was noncommittal when asked if Kuminga would reenter the rotation, Friedell notes. The 6’7″ forward has only played 10 minutes since December 7. “He could be, yeah,” Kerr said. “He obviously hasn’t played in a while, but at this point, we have to experiment a little bit with rotations, see where we are, and he’s definitely a part of that talk, that conversation.”
- As Slater tweets, Kuminga is set to enter Tuesday’s game at the start of the second quarter with the Warriors trailing by 13 points. Slater reported earlier on Tuesday that the former lottery pick was open to playing for Golden State again, though his “long-term desires” and “feelings about the organization” haven’t changed. (Twitter video link via NBA Today).
Jimmy Butler Suffers Season-Ending Torn ACL In Right Knee
January 20, 3:49 pm: The Warriors have officially confirmed that Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Monday’s game (Twitter link). He will undergo surgery to address the injury, though the team doesn’t yet know when the procedure will occur.
January 20, 2:25 am: Butler’s MRI revealed a torn ACL in his right knee, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). He will miss the rest of the season.
Sam Amick of The Athletic confirms the news (via Twitter).
The Warriors won’t be eligible for a disabled player exception in the wake of Butler’s season-ending injury, since the deadline to apply for a DPE passed on January 15.
January 19: Warriors forward Jimmy Butler suffered a right knee injury in the third quarter of Monday’s game against Miami and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, per Angela Martin of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Butler landed awkwardly on his right knee after being bumped in the air while catching a pass from Brandin Podziemski (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). Butler was fouled on the play by Davion Mitchell, who attempted to disrupt the pass.
Butler immediately yelled out in pain and was down on the court for a few minutes before being helped off with the assistance of Moses Moody and Gary Payton II, tweets Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. The 36-year-old was unable to put weight on his right leg.
As ESPN’s Anthony Slater observes (via Twitter), Butler has a history of right knee injuries. He tore his right meniscus in 2018 and sprained his MCL in 2024.
While the Warriors went on win Monday’s game to improve to 25-19 following a 6-1 homestand, Butler’s injury is obviously a major concern. The five-time All-NBA member is currently undergoing an MRI, according to Slater (Twitter link).
“Praying for the best, as far as scans,” said Stephen Curry.
Butler, who has also made five All-Defensive teams in his 15-year career, entered Monday averaging 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals on .519/.381/.862 shooting in 37 games (31.4 minutes per contest).
Butler is under contract through 2026/27. He’s making $54.1MM this season and will earn $56.8MM next season.
Latest On Jimmy Butler, Warriors
The Warriors have yet to officially confirm reports from late Monday night indicating that Jimmy Butler has suffered a torn ACL, but the star forward and his agent both tacitly acknowledged on Tuesday that those reports are accurate.
Butler’s initial response was brief and relatively lighthearted, given the circumstances. In an Instagram post featuring an edited photo of Butler wearing a military uniform with the caption “General Soreness,” he wrote, “Be back before you know it.”
The statement that Bernie Lee, Butler’s agent, provided to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link) was more sober and more in-depth, but Lee also attempted to look on the bright side of the lengthy recovery period facing the six-time All-Star.
“Obviously a gut punch on every level for Jimmy and the entire group, but I firmly believe that this is a part of the journey and we can’t only expect to take the good things out of it,” Lee said. “We’ve watched life happen to countless others and now it’s his turn to face this. It’s how life works.
“I’ve known for over 10 years now that Jimmy is going to win a championship before he is done. My belief in that is unwavering.
“I’ve watched Jimmy support and uplift and change the lives of countless people, including my own and now is a time for people to rally around him and offer him that same support, which we will. We will make some functional decisions here in the next few days and then we are onto the next. If you know anything about Jimmy you know exactly how he will attack this challenge. Put simply, he has this.”
Here’s more on Butler and the Warriors:
- With role players like De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford playing their best basketball of the season as of late, the Warriors had become increasingly confident about their chances of emerging as a contender if they could stay healthy, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Instead, Amick writes, Butler’s injury could put a dagger into what head coach Steve Kerr recently referred to as a “fading dynasty.”
- With league-wide interest in Jonathan Kuminga at an apparent all-time low, Amick suggests that the fifth-year forward could help himself and the Warriors if he’s called upon to return to the rotation with Butler out. A strong couple weeks could increase the number of suitors in play for Kuminga and boost the odds that he gets his much-desired change of scenery while also putting Golden State in position to make a more favorable deal.
- In a story examining what’s next for the Warriors after Butler’s injury, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints says that all options will be on the table for the front office, including the possibility of trading Butler.
- In case you missed it, we published a Community Shootaround discussion post this morning about the next steps in Golden State.
Warriors Notes: Hield, Butler, Richard, Kerr, More
Veteran guard/forward Buddy Hield capitalized in his unexpected return to the Warriors‘ rotation during Saturday’s win vs. Charlotte, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Hield, one of the most prolific three-point shooters in NBA history, has struggled from long distance in a limited role this season, converting just 32.7% of his outside attempts.
Hield got an opportunity to play Saturday because Jimmy Butler was a (very) late scratch because of personal reasons. The 33-year-old finished with 14 points (on 5-of-8 shooting), three rebounds, three blocks and two steals in 18 minutes.
“It was great. He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever seen,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Just the way he conducts himself. His energy, his joy — whether he’s playing or not — it’s just the light that he brings to the locker room every day is infectious and powerful. He’s just an incredible guy to coach. I was happy for him that he had that night given that he’s been out of the loop for a while.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Butler was announced as a starter during pregame player introductions, so the crowd at Chase Center was confused when rookie Will Richard — not Butler — was part of the starting lineup, Johnson notes. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told Kerr that everything was OK with Butler, according to Johnson (Twitter link).
- Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area shares his takeaways from Saturday’s victory, which featured solid performances from Richard (11 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals), De’Anthony Melton (24 points, six rebounds, three assists) and Brandin Podziemski (16 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals), among others.
- Kerr said prior to Saturday’s game that he doesn’t think another team will be able to break Golden State’s regular season record of 73 wins, which came back in ’15/16, as Nick Friedell of The Athletic relays. “I remember at the time I thought, ‘No way,’” Kerr said. “And then, about a month ago, I thought it would be broken. And now, I don’t think there’s any way anybody’s gonna break it again. It’s such a difficult thing, but Oklahoma City looked like they were on their way to doing it. But the reason it’s so hard is just you have to have good health — you have to have some luck. And most teams probably aren’t going to push themselves that hard to get there. It’s so difficult. My guess is it won’t be broken.”
Warriors’ Vets Say Kuminga Situation Not A Distraction
It was an eventful Thursday in the Bay Area, where the day began with forward Jonathan Kuminga issuing a trade demand and wrapped up with a 126-113 victory over a New York team missing star point guard Jalen Brunson. After the win, head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors‘ veteran stars made it clear that they don’t view the Kuminga situation as a distraction.
“Jonathan’s a great young guy,” Kerr said, according to Nick Friedell of The Athletic. “His teammates like him. He’s handling himself well. There won’t be a distraction.”
“Everyone around here can confidently say it won’t be a distraction because he is not a distraction,” forward Draymond Green told reporters, including ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Two-time MVP Stephen Curry and six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler each conveyed a similar sentiment. Curry indicated that he’s focused on winning games and that the Kuminga situation will “resolve itself one way or the other.” Butler said his teammates “love JK,” adding that won’t change if he’s traded. Asked whether he wants to see the Warriors grant Kuminga’s trade request, Butler shut down the line of questioning, suggesting it wasn’t his place to weigh in.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey,” Butler said, per Slater. “It ain’t got nothing to do with me. I want JK to be happy. At the end of the day, that’s what I want. Whatever brings him his joy and his happiness, that’s what I want.”
Kuminga, the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, appeared to be on the verge of a breakout when he averaged 16.1 points per game and shot 52.9% from the field in 74 games in 2023/24. However, he missed significant time due to an ankle injury in ’24/25 and was held out of the rotation in several key games at the end of the season and in the postseason.
After a protracted restricted free agency standoff that saw him re-sign with the Warriors on a two-year, $46.8MM deal that includes a second-year team option, Kuminga opened this season in the starting lineup and played well, earning kudos from Kerr. But when the fifth-year forward and Golden State began to struggle and he dealt with another injury (this one affecting his knee), Kuminga was removed from the starting five and then taken out of the rotation altogether.
Although the 23-year-old hasn’t played in 14 consecutive games (and 17 of the past 18), Kerr insisted on Thursday that his relationship with Kuminga isn’t acrimonious, as Friedell relays.
“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said. “There’s not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. Just is what it is, a difficult situation for everybody. Part of this league, part of the job. So we just keep moving forward, but tough situation. I don’t really have much to add.”
As we outlined on Thursday, the Kings remain very much in the mix for Kuminga, though they’re not willing to offer as strong a package as they did during the offseason. The Lakers and Mavericks are among the other teams rumored to have some level of interest. Golden State has until February 5 to make a deal, and if Kuminga does get moved, Green is optimistic about his teammate’s ability to “reach his full potential” with his new team.
“Wherever that is in this league, it’s not always how we envision it,” Green said, per Friedell. “I’ve been so lucky and fortunate to play in one place for 14 years. How rare is that though? The reality is it’s more likely that it happens the opposite way than the way it’s going for myself or Steph, Klay (Thompson). 13, 14 years in one spot, it just doesn’t happen.
“So for a guy like that who’s drafted (with) the seventh pick, you expect it all to go the way you want it to go, the way you think it should go. And sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. But that doesn’t make him any worse of a player. That doesn’t make this any worse of an organization. Sometimes things just don’t work out.
“… But I know how talented he is, I know how good of a teammate he is, I know how good of a person he is. And usually when you have those three things going for you, it works out in the end. So I have zero doubt that no matter what happens with him, whether it’s here or anywhere else, it’s going to work out for him in the end because he works his tail off and he’s a great person and a great teammate. And things work for those guys.”
Warriors Notes: Butler, Green, MPJ, Melton, Horford
Jimmy Butler‘s work with the second unit has sparked the Warriors to an 8-3 record over their last 11 games, Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle writes in a subscriber-only story. Coach Steve Kerr reworked his rotation to give Butler more time with the reserves, and that group has been consistently winning its minutes while Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are off the court. The latest example came Friday night as Butler teamed with four bench players for a 13-0 run in the third quarter that broke open a tied game with Sacramento.
“The way he controls the game is elite,” De’Anthony Melton said of Butler. “I’m reading when to cut, spacing, when to move, certain spots he likes (the ball). Sometimes he has a certain matchup where he doesn’t want (an action). … He can either get a bucket or a foul usually more times than not. Sometimes, it’s not being in his way and giving him an outlet, too, when two people collapse and you’ve got to be ready to shoot.”
Kerr said Butler is more aggressive in those situations, adding that he often “defers” to Curry when they’re playing together. Butler called it getting “the ball where it’s supposed to go,” but regardless, his offensive skills are more on display when he’s the alpha on the court.
“It’s like a drastic change in style but it’s still a beautiful game when he’s getting everybody organized,” Curry said. “You saw him getting downhill, kicking out to shooters, knocking down big shots. He puts so much pressure on the defense even if he’s not the one shooting.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Kerr recently talked to Green about his high turnover rate, which has been an issue during the first half of the season, Gordon adds in a separate story. Kerr still trusts the veteran big man to run the offense, but wants him to do it more judiciously. “The league has changed,” Green said. “Teams feast off those turnovers. So you try to take less chances than I was taking. I heard it. Took it to heart.”
- Green made an unusual comment about high-scoring Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. on his podcast, per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link). After praising Porter’s performance this season, Green said it will be interesting to see what Brooklyn does with him over the “next nine days.”
- Stability in the rotation has also contributed to Golden State’s recent success, observes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. In particular, the Warriors are benefiting from the health of Melton and Al Horford, who are both playing regularly after missing time earlier in the season. “We’re in a good groove with our rotation, and helps to have the same lineups out there,” Kerr said. “To have Melt and Al both healthy and playing well, it feels like the version of the team that we expected when we signed those guys over the summer. The depth (is great) and we’re just getting into a good groove.”
Latest On Anthony Davis
Although the Mavericks will continue fielding calls on Anthony Davis, team sources insist to Christian Clark and Sam Amick of The Athletic that the front office feels no urgency to move the star big man. As Clark and Amick explain, the Mavs have signaled that they’d like to see Davis play alongside Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg and can envision a scenario in which he stays in Dallas long-term.
A report earlier this week indicated that Davis’ preference would be to remain in Dallas and sign a contract extension with the Mavericks. However, AD’s representatives at Klutch Sports, led by CEO Rich Paul, aren’t convinced the Mavs are interested in extending their client and wouldn’t mind getting him to a team more likely to pursue a new contract agreement, league sources tell The Athletic.
While Davis and his camp haven’t requested a trade, Clark and Amick suggest that Paul has encouraged the Mavericks to be “more aggressive” in gauging the 32-year-old’s market rather than waiting for teams to call.
Here’s more from The Athletic’s latest report on where things stand with Davis:
- As previously reported, the Hawks and Raptors are among the teams with Davis on their radar, but it’s unclear how motivated either team will be to get a deal done with Dallas. Atlanta wouldn’t want to take on Davis’ contract without moving Trae Young, who doesn’t appeal to the Mavericks, Clark and Amick write, while a deal with Toronto would require the Mavs to take on significant multiyear money.
- As Amick wrote last week, the door isn’t completely closed on the idea of a trade sending Davis to Golden State. However, with the Warriors still “staunchly” opposed to giving up Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green in such a deal, there’s no feasible path to a salary-matching fit.
- The Bucks are among the teams to convey interest in Davis, league sources tell Clark and Amick. Milwaukee is probably a long shot though, since the club is short on appealing assets and also lacks sizable contracts for matching purposes.
- Many league insiders believe the Mavericks will have to wait until the offseason to find a deal they like for Davis, but there’s also a sense that the lack of dominant teams in the Eastern Conference could make one of those potential contenders more inclined to take a shot on Davis during the season, per Clark and Amick. “Every team in the East believes they’re an Anthony Davis away from making the (NBA) Finals,” a high-level source explained to The Athletic.
Pacific Notes: Durant, Suns, Sanders, Kerr, Kuminga
Playing against his former team on Monday, Rockets forward Kevin Durant secured a victory for his current team by making a game-winning three-pointer with one second left in the fourth quarter. He admitted to reporters after the victory that being able to deliver that dagger against the Suns made the moment more meaningful, per Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press.
“Most definitely,” Durant said. “A place that I didn’t want to leave. My first time — I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but I will — to be kicked out of a place.
“It feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems they had. And it hurt because I put all my effort and love and care towards the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general. But that’s just the business, that’s the name of the game. So, when you play against a (former) team, yeah you got a chip on your shoulder.”
The Suns, whose “big three” of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal never meshed like they hoped, began discussing possible KD trades ahead of last season’s trade deadline, which was news to Durant. He helped nix those talks by making it clear he had no interest in returning to Golden State, then put Houston on his list of preferred destinations when the Suns renewed those trade efforts in the summer.
“It’s nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team,” he said on Monday. “I want to show them that I still got some juice in the tank. Even though I’m old, I still can play. I feel like every player has that mentality playing against their former team. I don’t think it’s malicious in any way towards them. But just as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Clippers rookie Kobe Sanders made his fourth career start on Monday with James Harden out due to shoulder stiffness and set or matched career highs in points (20), rebounds (seven), and minutes (36). Sanders, who has now been active for 29 games, has made a strong case for a promotion from his two-way contract to the standard roster and is earning praise from head coach Tyronn Lue in the process, writes Beth Harris of The Associated Press. “His poise, his ability to understand what we’re doing defensively and offensively, and just getting more and more confident,” Lue said of what has impressed him about the 2025 second-rounder.
- Monday’s one-point loss to the Clippers was a frustrating one for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who received two technical fouls and was ejected after disputing multiple referee decisions, including a no-call that crew chief Brian Forte acknowledged after the game should have been a goaltending violation, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. Veteran assistant Terry Stotts coached the team following Kerr’s ejection, then took Kerr’s place during the post-game media session. “I’m up here because I’m saving Steve some money,” Stotts explained.
- Monday’s game was the ninth in a row that Jonathan Kuminga didn’t play, including his seventh DNP-CD during that stretch. Asked after the game about whether he thinks Kuminga’s nonexistent role and uncertain future are weighing on his Warriors teammate, Jimmy Butler quickly replied, “Nope, not at all,” and referred to Kuminga as his “friend” and brother” (Twitter video link via Slater). “I tell JK, you be a pro of all pros,” Butler said. “Come here and get your work done. Smile and have a good time. Because you’re still an NBA player (and) one of the best people in the world. I’m not even talking about basketball. So you keep smiling and you keep being the great human being that you are.”
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Draymond, Kuminga, Curry, Melton
Appearing this week on The Tom Tolbert Show (YouTube link), Warriors head coach Steve Kerr provided some insight into the circumstances that led to the heated sidelines confrontation between him and veteran forward Draymond Green last Monday. In Kerr’s view, the entire back-and-forth was the result of a “misunderstanding,” as Angelina Martin of NBC Bay Area relays.
“Draymond was talking to the refs, and I had called a timeout because I thought we lost our focus,” Kerr explained. “And I wasn’t mad at him, but he was talking to the ref for a long time, and then I see five of our players over there trying to bring him back and he had been ejected the night before. So I started yelling his name, ‘Draymond! Draymond!’ Basically just telling him to, asking him to get to the huddle.
“He thought I was yelling at him because of a turnover he had just made, and so he says something snarky, I say something back snarky, and next thing you know, we’re yelling at each other. We’re at each other’s throats, and then it all comes to bear.
“But I should have been calmer at that time. Like, I know Draymond so well and there’s always a buildup to these things, and he’s such an emotional player and passionate player and he had been frustrated for a couple of days, and I recognized that, but I needed to recognize it and do something about it in the huddle. I needed to be the the the calming force, and so we went back and forth and I regretted not being the calming one in that conversation.”
Green went to the locker room following the altercation and didn’t play for the rest of that game. But he and Kerr both downplayed the incident after the game, with the Warriors’ longtime head coach later taking full responsibility and telling reporters a couple days after the fact that the situation had been resolved. Green has played his normal role since then.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- With several regulars sidelined, forward Jonathan Kuminga was supposed to play on Friday for the first time in two-plus weeks. However, Kuminga was a late addition to the injury report due to low back soreness and was ultimately held out of action despite being active. According to Kerr, Kuminga’s injury surfaced before the game and it’s unclear whether or not it will linger (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of The Athletic). After this missed opportunity, it seems increasingly plausible that the fifth-year forward won’t see the court again before he becomes trade-eligible on January 15.
- Kerr said after Friday’s loss that Green will return on Saturday vs. Utah after sitting out on Friday, and he’s hopeful Stephen Curry (ankle) will be back as well (Twitter link via Friedell). Jimmy Butler‘s availability will depend on how quickly his illness clears up, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be out long either.
- The Warriors essentially tanked Friday’s game against the defending champion Thunder, a 37-point loss, writes Monte Poole of NBC Bay Area. The team’s goal wasn’t to improve its draft position but to get a few veterans some much-needed rest ahead of more winnable games. “The schedule is what it is,” Kerr said. “When you have an older team, you have to navigate it as best you can. We’re trying to do that.”
- Veteran guard De’Anthony Melton, who re-signed with the Warriors this summer on a minimum-salary contract, told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Poole and Bonta Hill on the Dubs Talk podcast that he had no hard feelings about the team trading him away last season after he tore his ACL. “Given what my contract was, the mid-level, that’s a serviceable player,” Melton said. “You want someone like that who’s going to provide something good for your team. With me going down, and the dip the team took, I understood and I kind of saw it coming. And I think talking with (general manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) and talking with Steve, they kind of helped me with that situation, too. So I had a feeling it was coming and I understood it. When it was on the horizon, I told them it’s OK. I said, ‘Honestly, I would trade me, too.'”