Jimmy Butler Steps In to Ease Tension Between Jonathan Kuminga and Warriors
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Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors are counting on Jimmy Butler to help mend a strained relationship that intensified after a difficult offseason contract dispute, league sources told ESPN.
Kuminga, 23, re-signed with Golden State in September on a two-year, $46.8 million deal following a protracted restricted free agency. He opened the 2025-26 season in head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup, contributing to a 4-1 record over the team’s first five games.
When the Warriors dropped five of their next seven contests, Kerr moved Kuminga to the bench. Multiple team sources said the former lottery pick took the demotion hard and felt he had become a scapegoat.
Despite lingering tension, club officials believe the Warriors need Kuminga to reach their ceiling this season, even if the partnership lasts only until the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Several people inside the organization and in Kuminga’s circle view Butler as the most credible voice to keep the situation from unraveling.
“I feel like, in this league, he’s one of the people that actually has been in my shoes throughout their career,” Kuminga said of Butler. “And knows what I’ve been going through.”
Butler has taken on a mentor role, working with Kuminga to channel his athleticism and polish his game. “Everybody comes to that stepping-stone moment where you know you can get over the hump,” Butler said. “I think that’s where he is. I was at that point in Chicago.”
The six-time All-Star added that honesty is central to the partnership. “I realize that he listens to me,” Butler said. “But I’m always going to tell him the truth. When JK is doing something we can’t have, I’ll let him know.”
Kuminga has missed four straight games with knee tendinitis and is slated to sit out again on Friday, according to the team. The Warriors enter the weekend at 6-6.
Source: Hoops Rumors
