One man’s misery is another man’s opportunity. Jimmy Butler’s nasty fall in Houston could force the Warriors to change their entire strategy going forward. Early diagnosis revealed that he suffered a pelvic contusion, which usually takes anywhere between one and three weeks to recover from, per Dr. John Vasudevan. So, it won’t come as a surprise if Jimmy is unable to suit up for Saturday’s Game 3. And that could be the opening Jonathan Kuminga needed to solidify his future.
Before last night, JK received three straight DNPs as Steve Kerr did not feel he fit the puzzle. Well, Kuminga and Butler play the same position and while the youngster was injured during the regular season, Kerr found the winning formula with Jimmy. As expected, he did not want to mess with it in the playoffs, causing Kuminga to fall out of rotation. However, Jimmy’s unfortunate injury forced Kerr to call Kuminga’s number last night.
Checking into a game after twelve days, JK was clearly rusty, as he shot 4 of 12 from the field and finished with only 11 points. But now that he knows he will be the one replacing the injured Butler, veteran insider Marc J. Spears confirmed the young forward’s motivation to put his best foot forward, “He wants to get the bag. That’s his motivation. Gotta let it go, forget feelings at this point.” Yes, Kuminga’s current contract comes to an end this season and he is likely seeking a lucrative new deal.
“Bernie Lee, Jimmy Butler’s agent texts me saying, ‘Pray for the bear.’”@MarcJSpears says Jonathan Kuminga needs to be ready for Warriors-Rockets Game 3, but has “optimism” for Butler’s injury status pic.twitter.com/YvZbLL4gQS
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 24, 2025
Last summer, the Warriors and Kuminga failed to reach an extension agreement as the forward was reportedly seeking $35 million per year while the front office was only willing to offer $30 million. If Kuminga proves his worth in the Rockets series and leads the Warriors to the next round in Jimmy’s absence, Mike Dunleavy might not hesitate in offering him his desired deal. So, Spears made the stakes clear for the forward with a stern message, “He’s gotta shake it off. He’s gotta play. He’s gotta bring some athleticism that the Warriors need in this series. So, hey JK! You wanna play and you want the bag, this is your time.”
(Developing Story)
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