Warriors Eye Kuminga After Jimmy Butler ACL

Jimmy Butler tore his ACL when his knee buckled in Monday’s win over Miami, and that injury immediately reshapes Golden State’s plans. Jonathan Kuminga, who hasn’t played since Dec. 18 and reportedly "demanded" a trade on Jan. 15, was floated back into the conversation after coach Steve Kerr said Kuminga "absolutely" could become a factor. Yet Kuminga did not enter that game, leaving fans and front office alike weighing whether he is a buyback piece, a trade chip, or a roster question mark. Merlin sees a club at a crossroads. Kerr’s reluctance to trust Kuminga inside his system clashes with the urgency of replacing Butler’s production, so the young forward’s value is both real and fragile. Expect calls, offers, and auditions before Feb. 5 as the Warriors decide if they will repair the relationship or cash him in.