An awkward situation for the Warriors just got even worse in Thursday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. Less than 10 minutes into the game, the young swingman left for the locker room after tweaking his knee on a drive to the rim.
The play occurred with four and a half minutes to go in the second quarter. As Jonathan Kuminga was going for a layup on a fastbreak (Warriors up 43-39), he was fouled from behind by Brandon Williams. Before going for his free throws, Kuminga stopped for a quick break on the sidelines, briefly stealing the seat of a young courtside fan. He stayed in the game for a few minutes after that before he eventually left the floor for treatment.
Jonathan Kuminga is up to 10 points and is a plus-19👀 https://t.co/GP0Fnq4Bzt pic.twitter.com/2sOzFwDckQ
— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports) January 23, 2026
The team later announced that Kuminga would not return, leading to some initial panic from the fans. Fortunately, they revealed the injury is not serious, labeling it as soreness in the knee and ankle. If Kuminga were not currently on the trade block, he might have returned to the game tonight, but the Warriors chose to play it safe while he was in the middle of one of his best stretches of the season.
Kuminga was up to 10 points and a plus-19 in the contest, showing positive signs in what has been a tumultuous stretch of play. DNPs and public comments from Kerr have created a toxic situation that Kuminga desperately wants out of, and things have gotten downright ugly. Jimmy Butler’s injury has given him a chance to set things right, but his newest setback could jeopardize what he’s able to do.
For the Warriors, any absence for Kuminga leaves them especially vulnerable in the frontcourt. Without Jimmy Butler, JK is the best option at the position, and not having his shot-making on the perimeter will only make this stretch harder for Golden State. At the very least, they need him healthy to drive up his trade value, which is currently sitting at an all-time low.
As the NBA’s deadline draws near, multiple teams are already in pursuit, but it remains to be seen if any of them can satisfy the Warriors’ demands. Being in win-now mode, they need difference-making veterans, and that means they need to drive up Kuminga’s value in the few weeks that they have left. He avoided a major injury today, but the scare was enough to remind everyone how fragile the Warriors’ situation is.
Any setbacks can have massive implications on their season, but there’s no time for the Warriors to feel bad. With a tough slate of games on the schedule, including against the Timberwolves, Jazz, and Pistons, Golden State must look to other players to step up and fill the void. Jonathan Kuminga’s future is still playing out, but he managed to avoid disaster today in what would have been a devastating blow.
