The Golden State Warriors have been every bit of stellar since adding Jimmy Butler.
Since the trade deadline, the Warriors have posted an 11-2 record. With Butler in the lineup, that record improves to 11-1.
Simply put, the Warriors are reinserting themselves in the race as a contender. Their turnaround is being recognized by the rest of the NBA world, too.
Stephen Curry has been playing at an MVP level since Butler arrived in the lineup, and the rest of the Warriors squad is playing an improved brand of basketball.
The club still has one player to insert back into the lineup, though, as Jonathan Kuminga -- after being out for over two months with an ankle injury -- is soon set to return to the hardwood.
Kerr reveals Kuminga plan for Warriors
With the Warriors finding their groove, what kind of impact could Kuminga have on the court? Golden State head coach Steve Kerr will be sure to implement the young star forward into the lineup a tad slow, considering their winning ways.
"The idea is to bring him along slowly. Play him in short bursts... But, we've gotta keep playing Gui Santos. We've gotta keep playing the guys who are helping us win right now," Kerr revealed.
Steve Kerr on the challenge of bringing Jonathan Kuminga back into the rotation when healthy:
"The idea is to bring him along slowly. Play him in short bursts... But, we've gotta keep playing Gui Santos. We've gotta keep playing the guys who are helping us win right now." pic.twitter.com/GWmYCYxE1s
— KNBR (@KNBR) March 9, 2025
There are two valid reasons to slowly implement Kuminga back into the lineup. First off, he's got to find his footing again. He was playing his best brand of basketball before going down with the injury.
If the Warriors can get the version of Kuminga they had in December come playoff time -- alongside Butler -- the club will be in a healthy spot in terms of being able to compete.
Also, Kerr needs to implement the young star forward in a manner that will maintain the team's current form, as they don't want to mess up what they've got going.
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This story was originally published March 9, 2025 at 2:49 PM.