The Golden State Warriors suffered a great blow when one of their star players, Jimmy Butler, was hit with a torn ACL during their bout against the Miami Heat on January 19th. With Butler out, the Warriors need support for their best player, Stephen Curry, if they want any chances at winning another NBA Championship.
Kuminga has the perfect opportunity
Jonathan Kuminga demanded a trade on January 15th, disappointed with his role on the team. The Warriors had difficulty fleshing in Kuminga with the likes of Butler and Draymond Green, all three who isn’t known for perimeter shooting. Because of this, he was dropped from the rotation.
However, head coach Steve Kerr had no choice but to put Kuminga back in following Butler’s injury. In the next game, the Warriors played against the Toronto Raptors in a losing effort, the final score being 145-127. Despite this, Kuminga scored 20 points, shooting 7-10 from the field while snagging 5 rebounds in just 21 minutes.
MORE: Could Kuminga enter the Warriors' rotation after Jimmy Butler's injury?
The more Kuminga plays, the higher the chance his trading value increases, offering better assets from opposing teams. The next two weeks will be Kuminga’s make-or-break opportunity if he truly wants out of Golden State before the trade deadline.
Otherwise, the Warriors may be inclined to keep the young rising star as their secondary scoring option behind Stephen Curry if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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