Three Things the Warriors Can Do Without Their Six-Time All-Star
On Monday night, the Warriors received some terrible, yet somewhat anticipated news. In the third quarter of their game against the Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler went up to catch a ball thrown on the low post. Reaching back a little to grab the pass, he landed on one leg, a move that he’s done many times before. However, this time, pure horror ensued. Butler immediately screamed as he fell on the floor, and multiple players near the six-time All-Star were seen immediately putting their hands to their heads. Everyone in Chase Center knew instantly that, given those reactions, this injury had to be severe. Despite having hopes for some sort of fracture, the Warriors announced later that night that Butler’s season had abruptly come to an end with a torn ACL. Golden State must now look ahead to the rest of their season without considering the help of one of their three pillars. Here are three things the Warriors can do to address the massive gap due to Butler’s injury.
Reel Jonathan Kuminga Back into Play
As he did during the previous campaign, the former Warriors’ seventh overall pick requested a trade a few weeks ago. Head coach Steve Kerr didn’t really seem to consider Jonathan Kuminga as part of his future, forcing the young forward to a large streak of DNPs. However, this absence will change everything. Kuminga should immediately get plugged into Butler’s role as a versatile attacker and athletic defender, soaking up most of the minutes left on the floor. Though he sustained multiple injuries in Golden State’s most recent game versus the Dallas Mavericks, Kerr said that he does not worry about long term impact. It is pertinent that the Warriors shift from their initial thoughts of trading a young player whose value has decreased and use this as a chance to allow Kuminga to improve his stock.
Entertain Trade Talks, and Do So Fast
In the event that the team’s relationship with Kuminga has truly broken beyond repair, Golden State needs to act fast. Prior to Butler’s unfortunate collapse, Kerr’s group has won nine of their last 12 games, building some steam and breaking out of their mediocrity loop. To the best of their ability, Golden State needs to get back on track both mentally and physically, and bringing in a new but trustworthy face may achieve just that. The team from the Bay has already been linked as potential landing destinations for talented forwards like the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III or the Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. All moves will have to materialize before the February 5th deadline, so if the Warriors want to take this route, they’ll need to pick up the phones quickly.
Change Nothing, and Hope Somebody Steps up
This is, by far, the most passive approach. In this column, I’ve expressed in multiple instances that the Warriors' inconsistent contribution from their role players. Now that the reliable option of Butler is off the table, Golden State’s roster cannot afford to put even more weight on the shoulders of Stephen Curry. Whether that’s Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, or the already resurging De’Anthony Melton, this newly vacant load won’t carry itself. Therefore, someone will be forced to transform their game mid-season if the Warriors want to make another title run.
