Draymond Green

Pacific Notes: Butler, Simmons, Bogdanovic, Ellis

February 14th, 2025 at 8:03am CST by Arthur Hill

Draymond Green called new teammate Jimmy Butler a “franchise changer” after the Warriors withstood a late Rockets rally in Thursday’s win at Houston, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Golden State, which led by as many as 24 points, was only ahead by four when Butler returned to the game with 4:42 remaining. He helped lead a 9-2 run that gave the Warriors a much-needed win heading into the All-Star break.

“He’s a franchise changer,” Green said. “He’s done that everywhere he’s gone and he is helping revitalize what we got here. The belief amongst this team, now that he’s arrived, as opposed to what it was before he got here, it’s night and day.”

Butler was the team’s major addition at last week’s trade deadline after a long search to find another scorer to take some of the burden off Stephen Curry. He contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists on Thursday, as Golden State is now 3-1 in the four games he has played and looks ready to move up the standings after the break ends.

“Jimmy, he’s a real deal,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I mean, just a complete basketball player, methodical, under control all the time, plays at his own pace, never turns it over, sees the game and then can get to the line frequently. Great closer, not in the traditional sense where he’s going to be Kevin Durant and make four straight mid-range jumpers, but it’s more of a complete game. Get to the line, make the right pass, get somebody else an open look, get a defensive stop, get a rebound. He’s a fantastic player.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Ben Simmons had an impressive debut with the Clippers in Thursday’s win at Utah, delivering 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in 27 minutes off the bench. Coach Tyronn Lue praised the former All-Star for fitting in quickly in his first game with his new team, relays Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter video link). “I thought he did a great job, just reading the game, his IQ, making the right play, aggressive to the basket,” Lue said.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was acquired in a trade with Atlanta, made his Clippers debut on Wednesday, per Anthony DeLeon of The Orange County Register. The veteran shooter described the experience as “a new journey” and said he’s excited to play alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
Keon Ellis has played an important role in the Kings‘ recent surge, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. The third-year guard scored 27 points off the bench in Wednesday’s win over New Orleans.

Warriors Notes: Butler, Looney, Older Players

February 9th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Speaking this week to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Warriors center Kevon Looney reflected on Golden State’s decision to acquire six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler in a five-team blockbuster trade.

“He’s great wherever he has been,” Looney said of Butler. “Individually, he has a way of elevating the group. He’s able to elevate guys that you wouldn’t think are great because they play well next to him. I’m excited to play with him and see how he is and get to experience it. I know that he’s tough as nails. I love playing with guys like that. I’m excited to see how it goes.”

In Butler’s debut as a Warrior on Saturday, the 6’7″ swingman helped propel his new club to a road win against Chicago, racking up 25 points to go along with four assists. He shot 7-of-12 from the floor and made 11-of-13 attempts from the foul line, an encouraging sign for a Golden State team that ranked dead last entering Saturday in free throw makes per game (14.7) and free throw percentage (72.0%).

“This was probably the most eventful trade deadline that I’ve been in from the standpoint of things going on around the league and internally,” Looney said. “Since I’ve been here, we haven’t really made a lot of trades. So to be involved in it was surreal.”

There’s more out of Golden State:

Warriors players were impressed by what they saw from Butler on Friday, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Head coach Steve Kerr is looking to occasionally stagger the minutes of Butler and Curry with an eye on keeping a star scorer on the floor at all times. Following a superlative 24-point third quarter in which he was played all 12 minutes, All-NBA guard Stephen Curry was rested for the first several minutes of the fourth. Butler helped stabilize Golden State in his absence. Kerr specifically praised Butler’s attitude after the game. “That’s kind of the key, to me,” Kerr said. “It’s the swagger that he gives us. He gives confidence to the rest of the group, including Steph and Draymond [Green], and that’s important. When all those guys are feeling empowered and confident, you feel the difference. … This is the whole point of the deal, to inject that confidence and presence Jimmy brings.”
The Warriors’ new core features three Hall of Famers in their mid-30s: Curry (36), Butler (35), and Green (34). With $287MM owed to those players after this season, Golden State has the most money committed to players in their age-35 seasons and beyond, observes Frank Urbina of HoopsHype. Green will turn 35 in March.
In case you missed it, Butler’s tumultuous last weeks with Miami were recently detailed in full.

Warriors Execs, Players Address Jimmy Butler Acquisition

February 8th, 2025 at 8:13am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Warriors made a bold move at the deadline in acquiring six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, consolidating four players to bring him in and change the makeup of the roster. In a media session ahead of Golden State’s game in Los Angeles on Thursday, members of the Warriors and Butler himself discussed the move.

“I’ve always loved him,” owner Joe Lacob told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I love Draymond [Green]. So we’re dealing with something similar. Incredible competitiveness. My kind of guy.”

The Suns were considered the top suitor for Butler for weeks, with reports repeatedly citing strong mutual interest between the two sides. Phoenix was considered to be the team most willing to pay Butler the maximum-salary extension he sought, and the star forward liked the idea of a future playing alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

However, Bradley Beal‘s contract – which includes a no-trade clause – proved too difficult to move and thus, Butler wound up in Golden State and Durant stayed put in Phoenix.

“[Butler] was trying to get where he thought he wanted to go,” Lacob said. “He just happened to be thinking incorrectly at the time. That’s now been amended.”

Given their reported desire to make a change to the roster, the Suns even engaged in talks about the idea of a trade that would have sent Durant either Golden State or Miami. However, Durant was uninterested in a reunion with Golden State, which prompted the Warriors to pivot to pursuing Butler.

Green, who played with Durant from 2016-19, downplayed Durant’s reported unwillingness to reunite forces, according to Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina. “Didn’t affect my life one bit,” Green said.

“When you walk on the court and you look on the other end and you see guys that you respect, half the battle is fought,” Green said of the Warriors trading for Butler. “And with Jimmy, that’s half the battle. So that’s going to be fun because we can compete at the highest level.”

Warriors players, including Green, seemed grateful that Golden State’s front office made a move that makes them more competitive this year after the team slid out of the playoff field over the course of the last couple months. Tied with the Kings but sitting in 11th, the Warriors have the final two months of the season to climb into the postseason.

“We’re going in a direction,” general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said. “We have three kind-of-older generational players. But the beauty of the whole thing to me is we’ve got a lot of good complementary pieces. We’ve got assets, we’ve got young players. So in some ways in terms of our financial stuff, there’s a commitment. But on the whole, we’ll have a lot of flexibility.”

The Warriors explored other moves leading up to the deadline, according to Slater, but they value what veterans on expiring contracts like Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II bring to the locker room.

The rest of the Warriors’ season will also be about replenishing their roster after they were left with four open spots on their 15-man roster. They filled one of those by converting center Quinten Post to a standard deal and Santa Cruz Warrior Kevin Knox could be another consideration, per Slater.

Dunleavy and Lacob both applauded one another for their willingness to be aggressive. This move allowed them to add a star player without sacrificing the likes of Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga. According to Slater, the Warriors will be able to reassess in the summer and still be in position to make another big move at that point if they see fit.

As for Butler, he expressed excitement about having the chance to play alongside the best shooter in the world in Stephen Curry, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. He’s hoping to make his Warriors debut on Saturday against the Bulls.

“I got a feeling I’m [going to] be back, in a big way, too,” he said. “So I’m smiling. I’ve been going at it, I’ve been training, I’ve been doing everything I’m supposed to be doing. I know that I have my joy back now. I’m in a different situation, different group of guys.”

Butler himself was a big winner of the deadline, finding a team willing to pay him big money in a CBA landscape that makes teams have to be more conscious with how they allocate their finances. He and his new team reportedly agreed to a two-year, maximum-salary extension projected to be worth $111MM.

“I’m not going to say that was a big part,” Butler said of his contract playing into his exit from Miami and the new one he received from Golden State. “But I’m happy about it. I am happy about it. I think the biggest part was getting me to be able to play basketball again. I just want to be able to go out there and do what I’ve been doing for a very long time. And have fun, smile, rip and run and not feel like I’m just doing cardio majority of the game. So I’m very, very, very happy that I’m not getting suspended no more.”

NBA Announces Three-Point Contest, Skills Challenge Participants

February 7th, 2025 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially announced the participants for the All-Star Saturday festivities in San Francisco on February 15, revealing today (via Twitter) which players will compete in the three-point contest and the skills challenge. Here are the details:

Three-Point Contest:

Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Darius Garland (Cavaliers)
Tyler Herro (Heat)
Buddy Hield (Warriors)
Cameron Johnson (Nets)
Damian Lillard (Bucks)
Norman Powell (Clippers)

Among this year’s participants, Powell (43.1%), Garland (42.9%), and Johnson (41.7%) have been the most accurate three-point shooters so far this season, while Herro (39.3% on 9.7 attempts per game) has been the most prolific.

Lillard won the event in both 2023 and 2024 and will be looking to become the first player since Craig Hodges in 1992 to claim the three-point title for a third consecutive year. Larry Bird was also a three-time winner, having achieved the feat in the first three years the NBA held the event (1986-88).

Hield is the only other player in this year’s field to have won the contest before, having done so in 2020. The Warriors wing will be the home team’s representative next Saturday.

Skills Challenge:

Team Cavs: Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley
Team Rooks: Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks) and Alex Sarr (Wizards)
Team Spurs: Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama
Team Warriors: Draymond Green and Moses Moody

It appears the NBA will be tweaking the format of the skills challenge again in 2025, with the event set to feature four teams of two players apiece instead of three players per team.

Mobley was part of the Cavs team that won the event in 2022, along with Jarrett Allen and Garland. He’ll be teaming up with Mitchell this time around.

The NBA also officially confirmed the participants of the dunk contest earlier this week (Twitter link). Those four players, who had been previously reported, are Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis, Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, Bucks guard Andre Jackson, and Magic two-way guard Mac McClung.

Like Lillard in the three-point contest, McClung will be looking to three-peat in his event next Saturday night.

Warriors Notes: Butler Trade, Curry, Kuminga, Wiggins, Green

February 6th, 2025 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

The trade sending Jimmy Butler to the Warriors can be considered a backup plan for both parties, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The Suns were Butler’s first choice and Golden State was hoping to reacquire Kevin Durant, but Durant had no interest in returning to the Bay Area, dousing any hopes for a three-team deal.

The Warriors paid what they believe is a “modest” price for Butler, according to Slater, parting with Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schröder (who’s going to Utah), Lindy Waters (headed to Detroit), and a top-10 protected first-round pick in 2025. Sources tell Slater that Golden State’s front office doesn’t mind giving up the draft choice because it wasn’t excited about any of the prospects in the late lottery and beyond.

Slater considers the riskiest part of the deal for the Warriors to be the two-year, $111MM extension they gave Butler to make sure he’s happy in his new home. Because Butler declined his $52.4MM player option for next season, Golden State essentially added on one year at $58MM and gave him a contract that will expire at the same time as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

“Him signing an extension is big,” Curry said. “Knowing he’s committed for this next little run … I know there was a lot of drama down there (in Miami). Who really knows what the story is? We expect to have a motivated, committed Jimmy. I can put myself in his shoes. He’s been away from the game for a minute. He’s been frustrated for whatever reason. When you get into a situation that’s a fresh start, it establishes expectations that we’re all used to that we need to win. We all thrive off that energy.”

That financial commitment will likely result in at least two more years of high tax bills. Slater hears that the Warriors are willing to pay a “pricey figure” to re-sign Jonathan Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

There’s more on the Warriors:

News of the Butler trade broke shortly before the start of Wednesday’s game at Utah, which created an awkward situation. As Slater describes, coach Steve Kerr gathered his players in the locker room after warmups and informed them of the impending deal. He found it extremely difficult to break the news to Wiggins. “Wiggs is one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached,” Kerr said. “Just a beautiful soul. Just a wonderful human being. We don’t hang that banner in (2022) without him. Everything he brings every day, the laughter, the smile, the joy. I’m gonna miss him.”
Green’s name was floated in trade rumors as the Warriors explored the possibility of reacquiring Durant, but he tells Slater that he never checked with the front office to see if he might be dealt. “I always talk to (general manager Mike Dunleavy). But, no, what’s going to happen is going to happen,” Green said. “Ninety-five percent of the things you worry about never come true. If (I did get traded), then it just is what it is. My worries ain’t stopping it. So I wasn’t worried at all. I’ve been in a place of uncertainty overall. But what’s going to be is going to be. To sit and worry about it, this life is hard enough to worry about what you can’t control.”
Green stated that he has no concerns about playing alongside Butler despite their sharp personalities, Slater adds. Kevon Looney points out that Green has co-existed with other strong-willed players such as DeMarcus Cousins, Chris Paul, David West, Andre Iguodala and more. “Guys like that who are dogs, alpha males, they respect other people like that,” Looney said. “They kind of stay out of each other’s way. Draymond is a great connector. He’s a great leader. He makes things happen on the floor and off the court.”
An ESPN panel looks at how the trade will affect both the Warriors and the Heat, and is unanimous in believing that Golden State might not be Butler’s last NBA stop.

Kevin Durant ‘Highly Unlikely’ To Be Traded To Warriors

February 5th, 2025 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

2:08 pm: ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed during an appearance on NBA Today that Durant has no desire to rejoin the Warriors (Twitter video link).

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), it’s now “highly unlikely” that Durant will be traded to Golden State. Confirming that Durant wants to stay in Phoenix, Gambadoro says there was momentum toward a Durant/Warriors deal in the last 24 hours, but that momentum is gone.

There still may be a path to a Heat/Suns trade centered around Durant and Butler, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), but it’s unclear if Miami could sufficiently sweeten the pot with enough additional assets to get Phoenix to make that move.

2:00 pm: With Kevin Durant at the center of trade speculation leading up to Thursday’s deadline, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) report that there’s a “distinct sense percolating” that the Suns forward would prefer not to be traded this week.

Unlike his teammate Bradley Beal, Durant doesn’t hold a no-trade clause and doesn’t have the ability to veto a deal if the Suns decide they want to move him.

Beal’s no-trade clause and unfavorable contract have prevented Phoenix from finding a way to swap him out for Heat forward Jimmy Butler, which is a key reason why the Durant rumors have picked up in recent days. As we relayed this morning, a multi-team trade that sends Durant to Golden State and Butler to Phoenix is reportedly considered a possibility.

While Golden State has frequently been cited as the team pursuing Durant most aggressively, there’s a belief that the former Warriors star would have “serious reservations” about reuniting with his former team, according to Stein and Fischer.

As The Stein Line’s duo writes, Durant left the Warriors in 2019 due to his desire for a change of scenery, and there was a sense at that time that he no longer wanted to play with Draymond Green.

Of course, it’s not out of the question that Green could be part of a trade package for Durant in a multi-team scenario, Stein and Fischer write. That echoes reporting from Sam Amick of The Athletic (YouTube link) and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (YouTube link), both of whom suggested that the Warriors’ longtime defensive stalwart isn’t untouchable in trade talks.

The Warriors would realistically need to send out at least one of Green ($24.1MM) or Andrew Wiggins ($26.3MM) for matching purposes in a deal for any maximum-salary player like Durant, but Wiggins has been viewed as the more likely outgoing piece.

While a Tuesday report indicated that Phoenix has interest in Green, the Suns wouldn’t have a viable path to acquiring him and Butler as part of a return for Durant due to their second-apron limitations.

One source briefed on the trade talks told Stein and Fischer that the Warriors may still be inclined to try to trade for Durant even if they don’t believe he’d enthusiastically welcome a second go-round in the Bay Area.

Here are a few more items of interest from Stein and Fischer:

The Stein Line’s duo confirms a prior report which stated that the Wizards will probably to hang onto Khris Middleton through the trade deadline after agreeing to acquire him from Milwaukee. Washington is expected to try to trade Middleton at some point, Stein and Fischer say, but it’s more likely to happen during the offseason.
The Pelicans continue to talk to the Raptors and Hawks about possible Brandon Ingram trades, and there are still multi-team scenarios in play in which Ingram could be involved in a Butler deal, according to Stein and Fischer.
After ducking below the tax line in the Daniel Theis deal with Oklahoma City, New Orleans will be careful not to cross back over that threshold in any Ingram deal. The Pelicans also aren’t inclined to take on multi-year money, and if they were offered a player on a longer-team contract like Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic as part of a package for Ingram, they’d likely ask for additional draft compensation on top of their “high valuation” for the star forward, Stein and Fischer report.

Mavs, Rockets Interested In Kevin Durant

February 4th, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Could the Mavericks pull off another trade shocker before Thursday’s deadline?

According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, David Aldridge and Anthony Slater, the Mavericks are hopeful of adding Kevin Durant to form a new superstar trio alongside his former Nets teammate Kyrie Irving and newly-acquired Anthony Davis.

The Athletic’s reporters caution that a Durant deal this week to Dallas is unlikely but the Mavs’ interest demonstrates the approach of general manager Nico Harrison, who appears to be targeting big-time stars he knows well from his Nike days, with the aim of winning a championship ASAP.

The Rockets, who are known to covet Suns guard Devin Booker, are also contemplating a run at Durant, per The Athletic. While the Rockets have a young, seemingly sustainable core, adding an impact player like Durant might vault them into true title contender status this season. Houston currently has the West’s third-best record.

As reported on Monday, the Warriors are also in pursuit of Durant but thus far the Suns have set an exorbitant asking price in exploratory talks. According to Amick, Aldridge, and Slater, one of the players the Suns want in return is Draymond Green, who starred at owner Mat Ishbia’s alma mater, Michigan State. The Suns also have a level of interest in forward Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent after the season.

The Suns remain Jimmy Butler‘s preferred destination but talks with the Heat have stalled because Miami doesn’t want Bradley Beal in return. Beal, who anticipates remaining with Phoenix past the deadline, per The Athletic, would have to waive his no-trade clause to be dealt.

Trading Durant could provide an alternate pathway for Phoenix to enhance its offer to Miami for Butler, according to Amick, Aldridge, and Slater, who hear from league sources that the Suns’ messaging about how willing they are to move Durant varies from team to team.

Interestingly, the Suns list Durant as doubtful to play on Wednesday against OKC due to an ankle sprain, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. It could be construed as a way to ensure Durant’s health as Phoenix pursues deadline deals, though Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports notes (via Twitter) that the star forward did turn his ankle in overtime on Monday.

Warriors Rumors: Trade Deadline, Green, Butler, Durant

February 4th, 2025 at 9:12am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Draymond Green spoke out last month against the idea of “mortgaging off the future” of the team in order to try to win now, telling reporters that’s the sort of thing that “bad organizations” do. However, on Monday, with the February 6 trade deadline just days away, Green said in a post-game media session that he knows team owner Joe Lacob will be eager to try to upgrade a team with an uninspiring 25-24 record.

“We all know he’s pissed sitting at .500,” Green said (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). “You’d be a fool to sit back and think everything (is OK). Not with that guy. That guy’s always trying to win. He’s always pushing the envelope as much as he can.

“… Sitting at .500, you’ve got to expect that (the front office) is going to look to be aggressive. It’s not an organization that’s going to do anything dumb, but they’re going to look to be aggressive.”

Reporting on Monday linked the Warriors to starry targets like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, with Shams Charania stating during an ESPN appearance that Golden State is “legitimately calling about every All-Star player.” After seeing what went down in Dallas over the weekend, Green suggests it would be irresponsible not to make those calls.

“Luka Doncic just got traded, so everyone thinks everything is possible at this point,” Green said. “If you saw that and you didn’t call (on) every superstar, you’re crazy. That’s just the reality.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on Sunday that Jimmy Butler trade talks between the Warriors and Heat had “ended for now” after the 35-year-old conveyed that he wasn’t interested in signing an extension with Golden State. However, it doesn’t appear that the idea of Butler landing in the Bay Area is dead. Anthony Slater of The Athletic says the Warriors “believe they are still firmly in the mix” for Butler, while Windhorst himself wrote today at ESPN.com that Golden State remains a possibility for the star forward if the Heat can’t figure out how to make a deal work with the Suns, Butler’s preferred destination.
If the Suns are unable to acquire Butler, it could impact the Warriors on two fronts. Not only would it make Golden State a more viable landing spot for Butler, but it could make Phoenix more inclined to consider the idea of moving Durant, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who says (via Twitter) that some rival executives believes that’s a real possibility.
According to Slater, it’s still unclear whether the Suns would really move Durant this week or if he would even welcome a reunion with the Warriors. However, Slater notes that Lacob and Durant’s longtime manager Rich Kleiman were seen chatting during Friday’s Suns/Warriors game and were spotted together at Chase Center’s Bridge Club at halftime and after the game.

Steve Kerr: “We Don’t Have Enough To Separate Ourselves”

February 1st, 2025 at 9:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

A few weeks ago, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr urged the front office to be patient and see how the current roster is able to come together. He had a much different message before Friday’s game against Phoenix, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.

Responding to a question, Kerr said he believes Golden State has the talent to remain a playoff contender, Then he added, “But we’ve also shown that we don’t have enough to separate ourselves from the rest of the West. The point is we’re not in a position where we can just say, ‘No, we’re good, let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are.”

The Warriors are 24-24 after falling to the Suns, leaving them tied for the 10th spot in the West. They play two more times before Thursday’s deadline, when a final decision will have to be made on whether to take a big swing in hopes of salvaging the season.

The team has been linked to Heat forward Jimmy Butler now that Miami’s asking price has reportedly gone down, as well as Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic from the Bulls. Kerr said he talks every day to general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. about the roster and any available trade opportunities.

“If there’s something that makes sense, he’s going to do it,” Kerr said. “If not, then I’m very comfortable going forward with this team because I know what we’re capable of, and I know the guys. Hopefully we can capture a little more momentum here.”

Even if they don’t opt for a trade, the Warriors will have reinforcements coming as their injured players start to heal. Gordon states that Draymond Green, who’s sidelined with a calf injury, is expected back next week, while Jonathan Kuminga, who has been out of action since January 4 with a sprained right ankle, may return around the All-Star break.

The Warriors are hoping to maximize the final years of Stephen Curry, who has two more seasons left on his contract. Sources tell Anthony Slater of The Athletic that there’s “a growing level of urgency” to shake up the current roster and they’ve offered their protected 2025 first-round draft pick around the league to see what they can get in return.

Curry deflected direct questions about roster needs, saying he’s not in position to make those decisions, but he recognizes the need to improve. He also acknowledges the tension that accompanies the trade deadline, particularly among veterans such as Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, who would like to remain with the team.

“You’re another year away from the ’22 (title), so it’s a little less of a … I think every trade deadline in a sense has been a little uneasy,” Curry said. “But the further you get away from winning, it becomes more of a sense of urgency. It’s the NBA. It’s nothing different from what guys have experienced before. You have to be able to play through it, keep confidence, understand there’s only so many things you can control, just play basketball.”

Warriors’ Kuminga Out At Least Two More Weeks; Green Day-To-Day

January 27th, 2025 at 4:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who sustained a right ankle sprain on January 4 and has missed the past 11 games, will be out for at least two more weeks, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).

According to the Warriors, Kuminga was recently reevaluated. He’s making good progress in his recovery and will start light on-court individual workouts in the next week, but he won’t return to action until after the February 6 trade deadline.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported a few days ago that Kuminga was still weeks away from returning, so Golden State’s announcement is more of a confirmation than anything new.

“He’s not close to coming back,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Kuminga on Saturday, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “He’s on a bike just now. He’s not been on the court in any other capacity other than just shooting stationary shots. So it’s going to be some time.”

It’s unfortunate news for the 22-year-old, who was playing his best basketball of the season prior to the injury, averaging 24.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steal in the six games leading up to Jan. 4. Kuminga will be a restricted free agent in the offseason.

On a more positive note on the injury front, Draymond Green is now considered day-to-day following his own reevaluation. The former Defensive Player of the Year has missed the past four contests with a left calf strain, but he has been doing some light on-court work recently and will soon begin practicing.

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