The Warriors are about to face a tough stretch without Jonathan Kuminga, and the timing could not be worse. JK injured his right ankle after a tough fall while attempting to block a shot late in the second quarter of the Grizzles game. He landed awkwardly on both Brandon Clarke’s and Jake LaRavia’s feet, rolling his ankle in the process. Up until that point, he had been on fire, leading the team with 13 points in just 15 minutes off the bench. He was a perfect 3-for-3 from deep, showing the kind of efficiency the Warriors need.

Before the injury, Kuminga had been balling out. Over his last six games, including two 34-point outings, he averaged 24.3 points, 8 rebounds, and shot nearly 53% from the field. His absence now leaves a huge gap in the Warriors’ offense, forcing coach Steve Kerr to dig deeper into his bench at a time when he had finally settled into a solid nine-man rotation.

On Sunday, the Warriors confirmed that an MRI revealed a significant lateral sprain to Jonathan Kuminga’s right ankle. The team will re-evaluate him in three weeks. Tough blow. Even the 22-year-old star isn’t happy about it. He opened up about the frustration of his injury and the timing of it.

JK admitted it couldn’t have come at a worse point in his career. “I just don’t want to be off, you know. I wanna be out there playing,” Jonathan Kuminga shared. “I feel like our team is now taking off in the right direction and I would love to just be out there.”

But the young star admitted that he won’t be rushing his recovery and will take his time to return, trusting the medical team. Even Steve Kerr hates this period of 11 games without Kuminga, terming it “brutal”. So who’s going to step up in his absence?

Steve Kerr needs to reach deep into his rotation bag to replace Jonathan Kuminga

Andrew Wiggins didn’t hesitate when asked if Jonathan Kuminga’s recent play was the best he’s seen. “For sure,” he said. “He’s scoring at all 3 levels and making good decisions. Defensively, he’s stepped it up, guarding on-ball and off-ball. Every game, he’s getting better.”

Before he went down against the Grizzlies, Kuminga had already posted 13 points, though he struggled with turnovers. In his previous six games, he averaged 24.3 points and 8 rebounds, a stretch Kerr called a “breakthrough,” marking a new level for Kuminga’s growth!

With JK sidelined, Wiggs took charge. He had a slow first half with just two points but exploded for 18 in the third, hitting six straight shots. Desmond Bane’s tough and-one play sparked Wiggins’ aggression, and he responded with an electrifying offensive performance.

“We need that Wiggs,” Draymond Green said. “He’s one of the few guys who can get to the hole with that athleticism. We’ll keep pushing him to stay aggressive.”

Kyle Anderson, who had been out of the rotation, stepped up with 22 minutes of solid two-way play, helping the Warriors hold off Memphis. Anderson’s not like Kuminga, but he’s versatile defensively and a solid passer.

“We signed him and Buddy Hield for this reason,” Steve Kerr affirmed. “We added depth to withstand injuries. Kuminga’s playing his best basketball, so we’ll miss him, but Kyle can fill in well.”

So who do you think will lead the charge along with Steph Curry?