Jan. 31, 2026, 11:56 p.m. PT
With all the talk of a potential Golden State Warriors trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jonathan Kuminga’s long-running saga with the franchise has become a secondary topic. Before Jimmy Butler’s ACL injury ruled him out for the rest of the season, Kuminga was widely expected to leave the Bay Area ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. He hadn’t played for 16 straight games before Butler’s injury.
Now, Kuminga is expected to be part of Steve Kerr’s rotation, at least until the end of the season, assuming he isn’t traded in the coming days. The problem is, Golden State will have the same issues again next season once Butler has returned to full health.
During a recent episode of ESPN’s “NBA Tip-Off,” Charles Barkley claimed that the relationship with Kuminga and the Warriors is all but over. He accepted that the former lottery pick is getting playing time now due to Butler’s absence, but argued that there is likely too much water under the bridge for a long-term partnership to be a viable path forward.
You can watch the full discussion by clicking on the embedded video above.
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