Jonathan Kuminga’s Warriors career hasn’t been great. But in the past year, he has received true support from teammate Jimmy Butler. Be it after a low performance of just 5 points against the Pacers or the ever-existent exit rumors. JK might not be in the Golden State after Jan 15, the first day he’s eligible to be traded.

Despite this, Butler remains unchanged in his stance regarding their relationship. “Same, he (Kuminga) better come to my house tonight, eat dinner, play some dominoes,” he said after the Jazz game. “That’s my brother, so I care less if he had the rotation. We hang out; that’s my friend, that’s my brother, and that’s not gonna change. Basketball is basketball, but I love him like a brother, and I wish him the best. And I still see him in here getting his work in, so his mind’s right.

That (trade exit) ain’t got nothing to do with me, cause I’m still gonna call and check in on him, still gonna go visit him, still go to his house, eat his food, play with his kids, so his future, that’s between him and whoever else, but the bond and the brotherhood that we’ve built, ain’t no future gonna ever change if that’s my guy.”

Kuminga was available to face the Jazz, but again, coach Steve Kerr decided not to play the 23-year-old. In December, he played just 4 games, and his last appearance was on Dec. 18 against the Phoenix Suns, registering two points and four boards in 10 minutes of the 99-98 loss.

Even against the OKC Thunder when starters Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green were not available, the expectation for Jonathan Kuminga to start heightened.

Kerr even said the 23-year-old will “for sure” be on the floor. However, hours later, Jonathan Kuminga was added to the injury report with lower back soreness. Soon after, he was ruled out. This was another surprising decision, which continues to circle around JK’s season. Even when the negotiations stalled with the Warriors, Kuminga got support from Butler.

“I f—ing love him,” Butler told ESPN back in November. During this interview, Butler recalled his conversation with JK as his relationship with the franchise was too shaky and uncertain.”You got to do what’s best for you. I understand the situation you’re in. I don’t think anybody on the squad got bad blood. I rock with you. I see a lot of myself in you.”

Is Jonathan Kuminga only a trade piece for the Warriors?

Steve Kerr’s public skepticism toward Jonathan Kuminga isn’t new—it’s part of a longer pattern that reflects the Warriors’ philosophical tension between win-now basketball and developmental patience.

The Congolese forward has frequently been framed as an awkward fit alongside high-IQ, rhythm-based lineups built around Stephen Curry and, more recently, Jimmy Butler—units that prioritize read-and-react precision over raw athleticism.

Kerr’s latest comments only reinforced that stance. “He needs some rhythm. He always has to stay ready. There’s a pathway there, but right now, it’s not there. But things can change quickly in the NBA,” Kerr said, a quote that reads less like encouragement and more like a conditional holding pattern. Translation: Kuminga’s role is contingent, not guaranteed.

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From a tactical standpoint, the concern is familiar. Kuminga’s strengths – downhill drives, transition scoring, physical defense don’t always mesh cleanly with Curry-centric lineups that demand instant decision-making, off-ball movement, and spacing discipline.

When Kerr leans on veterans, it’s usually because they minimize mistakes, even if they cap upside. Kuminga, by contrast, still plays on the margins of the system rather than at its core.

The two-year $48.5 million deal is unique. It doesn’t contain the player option, which JK wanted the entire summer, yet he can still control his future. ESPN’s Shams Charania stated that the second year of the deal has a team option that is “designed for the contract to be ripped up” and allows Kuminga to jump into free agency.

He becomes trade eligible on Jan 15, and many are already predicting that the final game in a Warriors jersey is done for Jonathan Kuminga.

Naturally, the front office would want him to remain fit, as any injury could hinder potential trade talks. Even though Kerr and the other Warriors executives may remain non-committal to him, JK has support from Jimmy Butler.