The trade for Jimmy Butler revitalized the Warriors season — they went 23-7 with him in the lineup after acquiring him, at the February trade deadline. It also dealt a crushing blow to Jonathan Kuminga's fragile future with the team — his minutes dropped to just over 20 per game after the trade. He picked up a DNP-CD in the crucial final game of the regular season as well as Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs, and it was reported that he almost certainly wouldn't be back next season.
That all changed in an instant when Jimmy Butler went down hard early in Game 2 against the Rockets.
Butler let the game with a pelvis contusion and did not return. The Warriors lost and, all of a sudden, it seemed likely that their playoff hopes might hinge on Kuminga and his ability to put aside his benching, rejoin the lineup with positivity and energy and help cover for Butler.
But the latest injury update for Butler threw another curveball.
Jonathan Kuminga might only get once chance to make a statement
The Warriors avoided the worst-case scenario as ESPN's Shams Charania announced that Butler's status for Game 3 was up in the air, but his injury wasn't as bad as previously feared.
Golden State's Jimmy Butler has been diagnosed with a deep glute muscle contusion and his status for Game 3 against the Houston Rockets is in serious jeopardy, league sources tell ESPN. This is best case because MRI showed Butler avoided any fracture or structural damage. pic.twitter.com/nTEjv4QKp7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 25, 2025
The most appealing read here is that Butler is likely out for Game 3 on Saturday night but could potentially return for Game 4 on Monday. That means Kuminga may only have one real chance to replace Butler, prove his value to the Warriors, and potentially land himself a hefty enough offer sheet this summer to keep Golden State from matching.
Kuminga was a mixed bag in Game 2 after Butler went down, playing 26 minutes and contributing 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. The big issue was that he went just 4-of-12 from the field. His 3-point stroke looked good, but he really struggled to finish in traffic and went just 2-of-7 in the paint. The Warriors desperately need his physicality at both ends of the floor, and being able to finish the easy ones is crucial.
The good news for the Warriors is that Kuminga was particularly effective against the Rockets in the regular season. In three games against Houston before the Butler trade, he averaged 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists, shooting 52 percent from the field and 7-of-15 from beyond the arc. Golden State won two of those games and lost the third by a single point. In the one game he played against the Rockets after the Butler trade, Kuminga put up 9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal in just over 19 minutes.
A big game from Kuminga could help the Warriors regain control of the series and make a strong argument that he deserves to be back in the rotation going forward, even if he can't play many minutes with Butler because of spacing problems. But he's also a restricted free agent and everything he does from here on out is one last audition for the rest of the league as he, presumably, looks for a new home next year.
Nothing is guaranteed for Kuminga. Taking advantage of this unexpected opportunity is crucial.