The Golden State Warriors have been red hot since acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, boasting a 10-2 record since the acquisition. While Butler’s arrival has also bolstered the play of guys like Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski, one key Warrior has yet to share the court with him as he’s dealt with a lengthy injury.

Coming into the 2024-25 season in a contract year, forward Jonathan Kuminga was looking to prove to the front office his worth in his upcoming rookie extension. While he played well in the first half of the season, he has missed the last 29 games for Golden State. In a recent radio appearance, Warriors coach Steve Kerr shared the brutal truth about the Kuminga situation.

“No setback. The injury itself was more serious than anybody realized,” Kerr shared Wednesday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.” “And some of these things you just can’t predict. That’s one of the things I’ve learned during my time as coach, working with Rick [Celebrini] and the performance staff. There’s no exact recipe for these injuries, and everybody heals differently.

Before going down with injury, Kuminga was averaging 23.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game over his last five contests. While production is expected to drop with Butler now in Golden State, the ceiling of this roster weighs on his play upon his return.

“I think as it turned out, JK’s injury was more of a setback than we realized in the beginning,” Kerr added. “He’s working hard, he’s working every day. He had a really good workout today. We feel like he’s getting close, but you just got to do the right thing and that’s what we’re all trying to do.”

Golden State’s return to San Francisco begins a seven-game homestand, the perfect opportunity for Kuminga to make his return to the rotation.