Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga Out At Least 3 Weeks With Ankle Sprain

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga will be reevaluated in three weeks after an MRI confirmed he suffered a significant lateral right ankle sprain, the team announced Sunday.

Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga sprained his right ankle on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies

Kuminga sustained the injury late in the second quarter of Saturday’s 121-113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies when he landed awkwardly in the paint and rolled his right ankle.

The 6-foot-8 Kuminga left the game immediately and exited Chase Center on crutches after the win. According to the medical staff, this injury means the fourth-year wing will miss at least 11 games.

Kuminga had averaged 20.5 points over his past 14 games, including scoring 20 or more points in three of his previous four games and a career-high 34 points in consecutive games.

Injury update: Jonathan Kuminga, who exited last night’s game with 2:27 remaining in the 2nd quarter due to a sprained right ankle, underwent an MRI earlier today. The MRI confirmed that Kuminga suffered a significant lateral ankle sprain. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks.

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) January 5, 2025

“Brutal,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before Golden State’s 129-99 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. “JK has been playing so well and obviously such a big part of what we are doing.

“He is our more athletic scorer and finisher and has been playing so well. We do feel good about our depth and ability to withstand his loss. Kyle [Anderson], Moses [Moody] will get more of an opportunity.”

Through 32 games (10 starts) this season, Kuminga has averaged career highs of 16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds, along with 2.2 assists and 26 minutes per contest, while shooting career lows of 45.9% from the field and 63.9% at the free throw line.

Kuminga is the first Golden State player with 30 or more points off the bench in back-to-back games since Cazzie Russell in 1974

Kuminga’s usage rate (27.5%) is also a career best. In December, he became the first Warriors player with 30 points or more in consecutive games off the bench since Cazzie Russell in 1974.

“I just don’t want to be off,” Kuminga said after he sustained the injury. “I want to be out there playing and I feel like our team is now taking off in the right direction and I would love to just be out there.”

Kuminga’s injury comes just over a month before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Amid trade rumors, Kuminga was asked how he feels about playing for the Warriors organization, as he is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.

“I’ve said before [that] you never know what’s going to happen,” Kuminga said. “But I’m pretty confident where I’m at and I feel good about where I’m at right now with everything that’s going on.”

In addition to losing Kuminga, the Warriors are also without Brandin Podziemski (abdominal strain) and Gary Payton II (calf). Podziemski could be nearing a return, according to Kerr.