Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga will be out for at least three weeks due to a “significant” sprained right ankle, the team announced on Sunday. Kuminga underwent an MRI earlier in the day which revealed the extent of the damage.
“Brutal,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said during his press conference prior to Sunday’s matchup with the Sacramento Kings. “JK has been playing so well and obviously such a big part of what we’re doing and he’s our most athletic scorer and finisher. And he’s been playing so well, so it’s a tough one. We do feel good about our depth and our ability to withstand his loss. So Kyle [Anderson], Moses [Moody], those guys will get more of an opportunity and I’m excited about that.”
Kuminga was injured during the Warriors’ win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Late in the second quarter, he went up to contest a shot by Jake LaRavia, who was fouled by Dennis Schroder in the process. Amid all the traffic, which also included Andrew Wiggins and Brandon Clarke, who were battling for space under the basket, Kuminga landed awkwardly. He immediately checked out of the game and did not return.
As Kerr noted, Kuminga had been playing extremely well as of late, with back-to-back 34-point games just after Christmas sticking out. For the season, he’s averaging 16.8 points, five rebounds and 2.2 assists, all of which are career-high marks.
Prior to the injury this had already been a stressful season for Kuminga, who did not sign an extension with the Warriors before the season and will be a restricted free agent in the summer. As a result of his contract situation, and the Warriors’ ambition to make the most of whatever window they have left with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, Kuminga has been the subject of numerous trade rumors.
It’s too early to say how this injury may affect those conversations. The trade deadline is Feb. 6, and depending on how Kuminga’s recovery goes, he may not be back on the court by then. With how Kuminga had been playing in the lead-up to his ankle sprain, the Warriors may not want to move him anyway.
Speaking broadly on that front before the win over the Grizzlies, Kerr said, “We’ve been up and down this year, but we like the group, we like the people we have and we really want to see how we play over the next month. And then just keep our options open.”
Entering Sunday the Warriors were 18-16, which had them in eighth place in the crowded Western Conference.
