Jonathan Kuminga Exits Warriors-Mavs Matchup Early With Left Knee Soreness After Strong First Half
The Golden State Warriors were dealt a tough blow Thursday night as Jonathan Kuminga was ruled out for the remainder of the game against the Dallas Mavericks due to left knee soreness. The announcement came early in the third quarter, shortly after Kuminga failed to return from the locker room following halftime.
And the timing couldn’t have been more frustrating-for both the player and the team.
Kuminga had been in the middle of one of his most dynamic stretches of the season. In just nine minutes of first-half action, he poured in 10 points on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
He also chipped in two assists and two steals, flashing the kind of two-way activity that’s kept the Warriors intrigued by his long-term potential. His +18 plus-minus led all players at the time he exited, a testament to just how impactful his minutes were.
The injury appeared to occur late in the second quarter. Kuminga seemed to tweak something-initially believed to be his ankle-and signaled to come out.
He limped noticeably as he made his way to the bench, briefly sitting courtside near the baseline. But in a show of toughness, he returned to the floor to shoot his free throws before heading back to the locker room.
He didn’t return after the break, and the team officially ruled him out early in the third.
At the time of the announcement, the Warriors held a slim 63-59 lead midway through the third quarter.
Kuminga’s Role Was Just Beginning to Expand
Kuminga’s early exit came at a critical juncture-not just in the game, but in the broader context of Golden State’s season. The 21-year-old forward had only recently been reintegrated into the rotation after a stretch of 16 straight DNP-CDs. With Jimmy Butler sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL, Kuminga was being looked at as a potential solution to fill the void on the wing.
Head coach Steve Kerr had made it clear before tip-off that Kuminga was going to have a bigger role moving forward.
“Everything’s a possibility right now,” Kerr said. “When you have an injury to not only one of your best players, but one of the best players in the league, it just changes everything. The puzzle completely changes.”
Kerr had already seen signs of Kuminga’s readiness earlier in the week when the forward returned to action against the Raptors-his first game since mid-December.
“He came in, had great energy, attacked the rim, made some shots,” Kerr said. “I thought JK was really good.
It’s a great sign with Jimmy out. Obviously, there’s a hole at that spot on our roster.
JK is going to factor in here again, and I’m really pleased with the way he stayed ready and stayed prepared. He got his opportunity and played really well.”
That readiness had become even more important given the Warriors’ shifting identity without Butler. Kuminga, with his athleticism and defensive versatility, was one of the few players on the roster capable of replicating even a fraction of what Butler brings to the floor.
Before Thursday’s game, Kuminga had averaged 12.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists across 19 appearances this season. While those numbers don’t leap off the page, they reflect a player who had been carving out a more defined role-especially given the context of his recent absence.
As of now, the Warriors haven’t offered additional details on the severity of Kuminga’s knee soreness or his availability moving forward. But for a team already navigating a major reshuffle, the hope will be that this is a minor setback for a player who was just beginning to re-establish his presence in the lineup.
For Golden State, the rotation puzzle continues to evolve-and Kuminga remains a key piece, health permitting.