Steve Kerr Comments On Kuminga's Status After Butler's Knee Injury

Jimmy Butler suffered a knee wounded against nan Miami Heat connected Monday. He sewage an MRI aft nan game.

There's a chance it's a season-ending injury, but moreover if it isn't, he'll apt beryllium retired for a while.

After nan game, Steve Kerr was asked if nan Warriors could play Jonathan Kuminga moving guardant now that Butler is injured. He replied, "Sure. Absolutely."

Kuminga has missed nan past 16 games, and astir of those person been patient DNPs. Several hours earlier nan Jan. 2 crippled against nan Thunder, Kerr said that Kuminga would play, but past soon earlier nan crippled started, he was ruled retired pinch a backmost injury.

There has been speculation that Kuminga and nan Warriors beforehand agency came to an statement that they wouldn't play him anymore pinch nan nonsubjective to waste and acquisition him earlier nan Feb. 5 deadline.

Then connected Jan. 15, nan first time Kuminga was eligible to beryllium traded, a root told ESPN's Anthony Slater and Shams Charania that Kuminga demanded a trade.

For arsenic agelong arsenic Butler is out, nan Warriors request much players pinch Kuminga's build. He's a 6'7", 225-pounder who won't get pushed astir by different powerfulness forwards.

And 1 of nan large reasons Kuminga's playing clip was erratic was his mediocre fresh pinch Butler and Draymond Green, arsenic each 3 are below-average three-point shooters. Now pinch Butler out, Kuminga would fresh overmuch better.

So it really makes hoops consciousness to instantly springiness Kuminga astatine slightest a important chair role, but we'll spot if this narration is excessively strained for that.

In immoderate event, it was eye-opening that Kerr would moreover propose that Kuminga could play for this squad aft each that has happened recently.