It’s been a while since a young Warriors star last hit the floor in blue and gold, and a lot has changed since then. The team made a massive splash by trading for Jimmy Butler, instantly injecting new life into Steve Kerr’s struggling squad. Suddenly, the Warriors have flipped the script. Saturday’s 115-110 win over the Pistons wasn’t just another victory—it marked their 11th in the last 13 games.

Not long ago, they were barely hanging onto play-in hopes. Now? They’re sitting comfortably in the No. 6 seed, in control of their own playoff fate. Before that win, which kicked off a seven-game homestand after a solid 4-1 road trip, Kerr addressed the status of Jonathan Kuminga. Standing at the podium, he made it clear once again—Kuminga is on his way back before they took on Detroit. And with the way this team is rolling, his return could make them even more dangerous. Or will he?

Kuminga has been out for over two months, missing 30 games with what the team initially described as a “significant lateral ankle sprain.” When the injury occurred on Jan. 4, the Warriors announced he would be re-evaluated in three weeks, but his absence has stretched far longer than expected.

“I don’t like these hard-hitting questions like this, and you know this, these, this is, you know, it’s a great question,” Kerr said. “It’s a really difficult thing when, um, when you are playing really well, and then you have a key guy coming back.”

Kuminga has been a key piece for the Warriors this season, averaging 16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while thriving as a sixth man. But Golden State’s lineup has shifted dramatically, with Butler’s arrival making the team far more front-loaded. Kerr acknowledged the challenge of reintegrating Kuminga while keeping the current rotation intact.

“It’s always tough, so I think the idea is just bring him along slowly. You know, play them in short bursts. Help him get his rhythm back, but you know, we’ve got to keep playing Gui Santos, you know?” Kerr explained. “We’ve got to keep playing the guys who are helping us win right now, and so, uh, usually this stuff has to kind of play out. And, um, so we’ll hope that it plays out.”

While Kerr didn’t give a definitive answer on Kuminga’s role, his comments suggest the 21-year-old won’t immediately return to his previous minutes. With the Warriors surging since the 6x All-Star’s arrival, Kuminga may have to fight for his place in a lineup that is already finding its groove.

The 59-year-old coach’s comments on Kuminga’s return made one thing clear—the Warriors aren’t rushing anything. While Kuminga works his way back, Kerr is already looking ahead to the postseason, where he expects Jimmy Butler to take things up a notch.

Steve Kerr is as excited as everyone to witness playoff Jimmy

Golden State’s bet on Jimmy Buckets is looking like a home run. Since he arrived, the Warriors have completely turned things around, and Steve Kerr is confident Butler will reach another gear in the playoffs.

“Playoff Jimmy is a real thing,” Kerr said after Butler’s 26-point performance in a win over the Pistons. “In some ways, that felt like a playoff game… the physicality, and kind of a rock fight, frankly. Guys like Jimmy really thrive in these types of games.”

The Warriors, now 36-28, are closing in on the No. 5 seed, a massive leap from missing the playoffs last season. If things ended today, they’d be looking at a first-round clash with LeBron James and the Lakers.

Since Butler’s Feb. 8 debut, Golden State has gone 11-2, with one loss coming when he wasn’t even playing. Kerr credits Butler with helping reshape the team’s identity. “He’s not the exact same player as Andre Iguodala, but he has the same influence. He’s constantly reading what’s happening, calming us down, and creating good possessions at both ends,” he had said recently.

The rest of the league has taken notice. “No one will want to play them in the playoffs. Jimmy with fresh legs and motivation … honeymoon-phase Jimmy is a m———–,” an NBA scout told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

Butler’s history speaks for itself—he elevated his scoring from 22.9 to 26.9 points in the 2023 playoffs, leading the Heat to the Finals. The Warriors are banking on that same fire as they battle through the brutal Western Conference.