The Golden State Warriors had the chance to lean on Jonathan Kuminga for only one complete game in 2026. His second game after a month of DNPs went awry. The forward left the game against the Mavericks late in the first half. The Warriors later announced he was not returning from the game. Following the Golden State Warriors’ 123-115 loss, now 0-2 since losing Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga and Steve Kerr present a bleak outlook on the player.

Kuminga landed awkwardly on a fast break, limping first to steal a little girl’s seat for some rest, then staggering heavily before eventually heading to the locker room. As per Anthony Slater, Kuminga told the staff that he’s in pain and wanted out of the game. He was eventually ruled out at halftime with unspecified ankle and knee injuries on his left leg.

Reporters at Dallas’ American Airlines Center watched Jonathan Kuminga cautiously mind his leg as he walked out of the Warriors’ locker room. He politely declined to speak to reporters, saying, “I’m out. I’m hurting right now.”

“I’m hurting right now,” is the last thing Dub Nation wants to hear from JK after watching the brutal way Jimmy Butler tore his ACL. That brought JK back in the fold when the Warriors’ options on size has been limited.

Kerr was relying on a combination of Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton in non-Stephen Curry minutes during the game. But it was Kuminga who was bringing a spark off the bench since his return in the January 20 game.

After a month-long exile from Steve Ker’s rotation, Kuminga’s prognosis could mean another extended break. And we’re now back to wondering if Kuminga can play again.

Steve Kerr didn’t have good news on Jonathan Kuminga

Steve Kerr had barely sat behind the microphone when the brief question came: “Steve, Jon?” He didn’t have a promising update after the game either.

“I just talked to him,” Kerr told reporters. “He said he’s going to get an MRI tomorrow. It was both the knee and the ankle. We’ll see how bad it is. It’s such a shame; he was playing great. That definitely hurt as well—you know, not having him available for the second half.”

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The Dubs have a day’s break to travel to Minneapolis to take on the Timberwolves on Saturday. As much as fans are hoping that a day’s rest will bring Jonathan Kuminga back, only those MRIs will confirm the severity of the injury.

He’s been a healthy scratch for the 16 games Kerr didn’t play him. But his second game back has gone sideways in a contentious trade market.

Jimmy Butler was responsible for bringing the late game jolt the Warriors needed without wearing out Stephen Curry. Without him, Kuminga had the size to take on the opponents’ offensive pressure. As Kerr admitted, without JK in the second half, the lack of secondary explosion proved fatal down the stretch against a fuller Mavericks squad.

The injury adds another layer of uncertainty to Kuminga’s future. Since demanding a trade on January 15, his 20-point performance at his comeback against the Raptors skyrocketed Kuminga’s value. He was on a hot start in Dallas too, scoring 10 points in less than 10 minutes.

If the MRI reveals a serious double injury in the knee and ankle, it could effectively freeze any trade potential ahead of the February 5 deadline. Both JK and the Warriors are in a state of limbo once more. For now, the Warriors are holding their breath, hoping their young asset isn’t the latest casualty in a season increasingly defined by the trainer’s room.