The Golden State Warriors' ongoing standoff with Jonathan Kuminga has stretched into Week 9, with Jimmy Butler's influence at the heart of the legend.
When Butler acquired from Miami on February 6, the team immediately moved.
The Warriors were 25-26 before Butler's debut. After that, they won 14 of 16 games and ended 23-8 this season, the third best record in the league.
When Butler played, Jonathan Kuminga was tied with a sprained ankle, Golden State scored 13-2. The surge almost sealed the fate of the 22-year-old striker.
NBC Sports Bay Regional Report: “…Kerr will never start JK ahead of the decorative Veteran Green or Butler.” “Kerr will never start a Kuminga, Butler and Green frontcourt, inviting a clogged offense that will make every game an obstacle for Curry and three defenders to chase him.”
The Warriors once envisioned Kubinga as a cornerstone and even overhauled their player development staff when he arrived. Jama Mahlalela and the late Dejan Milojevic were introduced to maximize his original talent, and after the 2022 championship, the “two timelines” approach seems to be feasible. But four seasons, it's suitable and never clicked.
“When Paul George arrived in Indiana, he was a guy who was put in a similar situation,” an NBA executive told the NBC Sports Bay Area. They were at the tip of the way when he got there. Danny Granger plays in front of him, and Lance Stephenson is there. Eventually, he was able to play with that David West; they were fighting for the championship. But it's like Paul's perfect setup. Just like Kuminga, because he was on the team. ”
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