Jonathan Kuminga probably didn’t expect his number to be called this early in the series. But by the end of the first quarter on Wednesday, there he was—checking into Game 2 like he’d never left. Just a day earlier, Steve Kerr had floated the idea of tweaking the rotation. He admitted he’d ridden Jimmy Butler too hard in the second half of Game 1 and needed to get fresh legs involved.

Turns out, that wasn’t just coach-speak.

With 29 seconds left in the first quarter, Kuminga stepped in after Butler took a nasty fall. Going up for a rebound, Butler got clipped mid-air by Amen Thompson and crashed straight down on his tailbone. The dude still sank both free throws, but you could tell he was hurting. One possession later, he signaled to the bench—he was done, at least for the moment.

That twist cracked the door open for Kuminga, who hadn’t logged a single minute since April 11. And it looks like the Warriors might be leaning into a new chapter—and Kuminga’s name is back in the script. When asked if he felt JK was ready for the moment, Steve Kerr didn’t hesitate. “Jonathan was ready,” Kerr said postgame. “He’s been great. He’s been preparing every single day,” Kerr continued. “Keeping a great attitude. Game 1, he was on the bench, cheering the entire time.”

Kuminga’s dedication earned him a chance, and now he might be playing a bigger role going forward. “He’s a great young guy,” Kerr added. “His teammates respect him, pull for him, and you know, he stayed ready… got some minutes, and it’s good because we may need him.”

In Game 2, Kuminga stepped up with 26 solid minutes. He drilled a couple of threes and became one of just five Warriors to hit double figures. With Jimmy Buckets banged up, Golden State might need more than Kuminga’s scoring. They’ll need his effort, energy, and ability to adapt fast. Kerr admitted that if Butler isn’t available moving forward, the entire rotation could shift. “Yeah, we’ll see how it all plays out. If Jimmy’s out, we have to rethink everything—rotations, who starts, and the best combinations and all that stuff.”

The ripple effect of Butler’s potential absence is already being felt. Quinten Post, the team’s rookie big man, offered a candid breakdown of what’s at stake. “He was very clearly our second option behind Steph, and on some nights, he was probably our first option,” Post said. “Steph did his thing, and then, when Jimmy’s not there, then somebody else has to step up, and we have to create a form of offense. Especially when Steph was out, I thought it was hard for us to find an identity on offense.”

Without Butler, the Warriors are suddenly left searching for who they are without their second star. Everything they’ve built since his arrival—rotations, offensive flow, his partnership alongside Steph—feels shaky. It’s about figuring out how to play without the guy who’s become a central part of their system. Draymond Green echoed the uncertainty as the team stares down Game 3. “We’ll have to figure that out,” he said when asked how the team would adjust without Butler. “It’s no easy task. Replacing Jimmy—obviously, we all know what he’s meant to this team since he’s been here. We’ve kind of tailored our offense a bit around him, so that will have to change a bit.”

They’ve gone 23-7 with him in the lineup—no coincidence. The dude’s been a stabilizing force since the minute he showed up, especially with the postseason intensity ramping up. Still, Draymond isn’t ruling Butler out just yet. “He’s tough. We got a couple days off, so we take it day by day and see where we get.”. With Game 3 set for Saturday night at Chase Center, the spotlight’s squarely on Butler’s health. His MRI results could swing this series faster than a Drake-Kendrick beef twist. And let’s be real—if he doesn’t suit up, Golden State’s going to need more than just a good night from Steph.

That brings us to the update that Warriors fans were holding their breath for.

Steve Kerr shares an update on Jimmy Butler’s injury

After the Warriors’ 109-94 loss to the Rockets, Steve Kerr addressed the biggest question on everyone’s mind: Jimmy Butler’s health. The Rockets, led by Jalen Green’s 38 points, evened up the series at 1-1, while Golden State struggled without their star forward. Butler, who took a nasty fall just eight minutes into the game, was ruled out with a pelvic contusion, leaving the Warriors to adjust on the fly.

Kerr, trying to stay positive, gave a brief but telling update postgame: “Jimmy always says he’s going to be fine. We have to wait to see about the MRI.” That MRI will be a game-changer, and Kerr made it clear that the Warriors are taking things day by day.

There’s also been some chatter among fans, particularly about the role of rookie Thompson in Butler’s fall. Kerr, however, wasn’t having any of it, dismissing the idea of intent. “I think Thompson just inadvertently found himself underneath Jimmy,” Kerr said. “It was just one of those things.”

Now, all the Warriors—and their fans—can do is wait for the MRI results. If Butler can’t suit up for Game 3 against the Rockets, Golden State will need more than just Curry’s magic to carry them. Let’s hope for a quick recovery, because the series could turn on a dime.