Golden State Warriors receive positive news on Jonathan Kuminga’s ankle injury

The Golden State Warriors got back on the winners list on Saturday, earning a much-needed overtime win against the Milwaukee Bucks. They did so without a number of key players, including second-year forward Jonathan Kuminga.

The 2021 lottery pick had been battling an ankle issue over the past week, then aggravated it during warmups before the Warriors’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.

Jonathan Kuminga’s ankle injury is a mild one in a rare positive news update for the reigning champion Golden State Warriors.

The 20-year-old was seen in a walking boot during the loss to the Grizzlies, but was without it as he watched on from the bench against the Bucks. Speaking ahead of the hard-fought victory on Saturday, head coach Steve Kerr spoke on the short-term future of a number of players. That included Kuminga, who Kerr categorized as being day-to-day with the injury according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.

It’s an important and positive update for the Warriors, particularly given Kerr couldn’t provide the same assurances for the return of Andrew Wiggins. In Kuminga, Wiggins and Gary Payton II, Golden State have been without three of their best four defenders across the past two games.

In four games during March, Kuminga has averaged an impressive 16 points on 56.5% from the floor and 50% from three-point range. He’s also added 5.8 rebounds, two steals and is a +4.3  in plus-minus during that stretch.

Kuminga’s defensive capacity will be important to close the season as the Warriors seek to secure a top six seed in the Western Conference. That’s particularly the case over the next four games as they prepare to face the likes of Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard, Trae Young, and possibly a returning Ja Morant.

Kuminga has been a bright spot for Golden State this season, averaging 9.2 points on 50.3% from the field and 34.5% from three in 20.2 minutes per game.