Just as the Warriors were climbing the Western Conference standings, disaster struck. Winners of four straight and six of their last seven, Golden State looked to be finding its rhythm, until Jimmy Butler went down awkwardly in the third quarter against the Miami Heat, grabbing his right knee in clear agony.
Golden State went on to defeat the Heat, 135–112, but the win was quickly overshadowed by the news that Butler had torn his ACL. The Warriors will be without him for the remainder of the season, a crushing blow to their playoff hopes given that Butler ranked top-three on the team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals per game. He exits the lineup as a 20.0-point, 5.6-rebound, 4.9-assist contributor.
Jimmy Butler’s injury rattles Golden State
Without Butler in the lineup, Golden State is expected to turn to Brandin Podziemski or Will Richard as the fifth starter. Still, arguably the Warriors’ second-most talented player remains a plausible replacement in the starting five: Jonathan Kuminga. The 23-year-old averages 11.8 points per game this season but hasn’t appeared since December, not because of injury, but due to a string of coaching decisions that ultimately led him to request a trade.
While swapping Butler for Kuminga might seem obvious on paper, the human side of the equation complicates matters. Kuminga’s time in the Bay Area has been a roller coaster: from being the Warriors’ most-prized prospect, to starting as a 21-year-old on a veteran-laden team, to being phased out of the rotation, back to a primary contributor, and then out of the lineup again. His offseason-long contract negotiations, which ultimately resulted in a team-friendly two-year deal, add another layer to the story.
That leaves the question: would Kuminga even want to continue with the Warriors under Steve Kerr? I’d argue probably not. Despite demonstrating his supreme talent, he’s been largely sidelined without a clear rationale, which makes the situation frustrating for a player of his caliber.
Butler’s season-ending injury could strengthen the case for the Warriors to honor Kuminga’s trade request. Not out of urgency to get value before the deadline, but because he represents a key asset they could use to acquire the talent needed to fill the void.
Chicago could benefit from a Warriors shakeup
With Kuminga’s suitors reportedly dwindling, the Chicago Bulls are among the most logical landing spots, especially if the Warriors are focused on acquiring win-now talent. Golden State’s situation is unique in that the long-term outlook should take a backseat when evaluating potential trades. With Butler sidelined, their two most important players, Steph Curry and Draymond Green, 37 and 35, respectively, don’t have time to wait.
But wait… the Bulls and “win-now talent” in the same sentence? On the surface, it doesn’t add up for a team with a sub-.500 record. In this context, however, win-now refers to veteran players, and Chicago has no shortage of them. Perhaps more importantly, the term takes on new significance considering that many of these veterans are impending free agents.
Consequently, Golden State could pursue several Bulls without worrying about long-term implications. Thirty-five-year-old Nikola Vucevic has long been linked to the Warriors and remains a worthwhile trade target. With Butler gone, however, the team will likely be looking to replace his secondary playmaking and isolation scoring. Coby White, another player the Warriors have reportedly coveted fits that profile.
Turning Kuminga into a win win for both teams
Acquiring Vucevic should be straightforward for Golden State, as he is non-essential to Chicago moving forward. White, however, is a different story. The Bulls have long considered signing the 25-year-old guard to a long-term extension, and as an impending free agent, he was widely expected to remain in the Windy City.
There’s a case that White isn’t worth a $25 million-plus extension. He’s a quality player and still young, but a Giddey-White backcourt hasn’t been particularly effective. The duo currently shares a negative net rating this season. With the Bulls having already inked Giddey to a contract extension, White becomes the odd man out.
That’s where the Warriors could pounce, using Kuminga as the centerpiece of the trade. A straight Kuminga-for-White swap wouldn’t work financially and is unlikely to be accepted by the Bulls, but the gap could be bridged easily. Chicago would need to add just $1 million in salary, and the Warriors could sweeten the deal with a future first-round pick—an incentive that would almost certainly tempt the Bulls.
Butler’s injury may have been devastating, but it also opens the door for a shakeup. Kuminga finally gets a fresh start, Golden State addresses an urgent roster need, and the Bulls land a talented young wing. It’s the kind of move that could change trajectories.