Jonathan Kuminga
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Jonathan Kuminga returned to the Golden State Warriors rotation against the Toronto Raptors.
After being taken out of the Golden State Warriors‘ rotation by Steve Kerr on December 20, Jonathan Kuminga made an appearance on Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.
Kuminga came off the bench, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes. It was a really good performance by the 23-year-old forward, but the Warriors were blown out by the Raptors, 145-127.
However, Kuminga scored all of his 20 points in the second half when the game was all but over. It was still a great sign for both sides, especially with a trade still on the horizon, as reported by ESPN’s Marc J. Spears.
Golden State just didn’t have an answer for Immanuel Quickley, who dropped 40 points, two rebounds and 10 assists on an efficient 11-for-13 shooting from the field. He went 7-for-8 from beyond the arc and was a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe.
Kerr Reacts to Kuminga’s Return to His Rotation
In his postgame press conference, Steve Kerr was asked about his thoughts on Jonathan Kuminga’s first game back since December 18. Kerr had a lot of positive things to say about Kuminga despite the rumored breakdown of their relationship amid all the trade drama.
“He came in and had great energy, attacked the rim, made some shots. I thought JK was really good, and it’s a great sign with Jimmy (Butler) out, obviously. There’s a hole at that spot on our roster, so JK is going to factor in here again. (I’m) really pleased with the way he stayed ready and stayed prepared, got his opportunity and played really well,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors lost Jimmy Butler to a season-ending knee injury on Monday night against the Miami Heat. Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and would likely miss the rest of 2026, including parts of next season.
With Butler going down, it opens up a spot on Kerr’s rotation, which was naturally filled in by Kuminga. However, the trade deadline is looming, so it won’t be surprising if Golden State decides to part ways with its young forward.
Warriors GM Comments on Kuminga Trade Request
The Jonathan Kuminga saga took another turn after he returned to the rotation amid the injury to Jimmy Butler. However, Kuminga still has a trade request, which has been acknowledged by Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. during his pregame media availability on Tuesday.
“I’m disappointed it hasn’t worked out better. 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,” Dunleavy said, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Dunleavy added that he’s open to trading Kuminga as long as there’s a demand for him. If he continues to play well in the next few games, maybe the Warriors could hold on to him since they have a team option for him next season.
Nevertheless, some of the teams that have been linked to Kuminga are the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets and New Orleans Pelicans.