Disaster struck for the Warriors on Monday night when star forward Jimmy Butler went down with a knee injury during Golden State’s win over the Heat. A few hours later ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the worst possible news— that Butler had torn his ACL and was done for the year.
It’s potentially a fatal blow to the Warriors’ championship hopes this season and an injury that will significantly alter the landscape of the West playoff picture. It’s also a potential opportunity for the oft-discussed but rarely-seen Jonathan Kuminga. The disgruntled 23-year-old demanded a trade from Golden State last week and, given he’s been glued to the bench for all of 2026 so far, signs pointed to a divorce before the February 5 trade deadline. Now things might change.
Speaking to media after Butler went down at the Chase Center, but before the news broke he was out for the season, coach Steve Kerr was asked about potentially bringing Kuminga back into the rotation in replacement of Butler. He gave a very quick answer.
“Sure. Absolutely,” Kerr said. Then, when asked if Kuminga was ready to jump right back into things, Kerr confirmed with a brief quote: “Yep. Yep.”
With Jimmy possibly missing time, COULD you go to Kuminga if there is a need for that position?
— KNBR (@KNBR) January 20, 2026
KERR: "Sure. Absolutely."
Is he ready? Practice and all those things?
KERR: "Yep. Yep." pic.twitter.com/RhgNVGBwe0
Kuminga has obviously struggled to earn a spot in Kerr’s rotation over the years. He is inconsistent defensively and his skillset doesn’t really fit all that well into the Warriors’ movement-heavy offensive system designed around the generational talents of Steph Curry. Combined with his reported desire to change teams that stretches back to last summer and it led to this year’s messy relationship in which Kuminga started strong, got benched once he started to struggle, and reportedly ruled himself out when the Warriors were shorthanded. All parties involved were reported to have accepted a trade would be in everyone’s best interest.
But now Kerr will probably be forced to play Kuminga, even if it’s only until the Warriors figure out a trade. They need to make up for the athleticism they’re losing in the front court without Butler and the tandem of Draymond Green and Al Horford, while effective in their own ways, are not going to help in that department. And if Kuminga plays well, maybe Golden State still has a shot to compete in the West.
The trajectory of the season changed when Butler went down for the Warriors, and Kuminga is now a major player in their efforts to contend this year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Steve Kerr Had Quick Answer About Jonathan Kuminga’s Role After Jimmy Butler Injury.
