Sources say that Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga will represent the Warriors in the season opener against the Lakers.
Both Butler and Kuminga have been dealing with ankle injuries over the past week, casting some uncertainty over Tuesday night’s season opener between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. As a result, both forwards had been listed on the team’s injury report.
The good news is that both players are dealing with only mild inflammation in their ankles, a team source told ClutchPoints, and they are expected to travel to Los Angeles for the season opener on Tuesday.
Both players participated in pre-game practices in Los Angeles without any issues.
Butler had been struggling with his ankle during the preseason. He sprained it during a preseason practice, causing him to miss the Warriors’ final two preseason games.
The Warriors were never overly concerned about the injury, as they still believed the All-Star forward would be ready for the regular season opener and downplayed the severity of the sprain. Sources said the team took precautionary measures due to minor swelling at the end of the preseason.
Kuminga sprained his ankle in the team’s previous game on Tuesday, which caused him to miss the Warriors’ final preseason game on Friday.
The young forward was ejected during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers after a confrontation with a referee while driving to the basket, playing only 18 minutes before being sent off. He angrily approached the referee after attempting a layup following clear contact to his leg.
This marked Kuminga’s first career ejection in the NBA for “unsportsmanlike contact and continued pursuit of game officials,” and he was fined $35,000.
After the game, Kuminga stated that his ankle had been pinched from behind, causing minor swelling. He had also suffered a similar ankle injury during the 2024–25 season, which caused him to miss more than two months.
Both Butler and Kuminga are now ready to travel to Los Angeles for the opener. Unless there is an unexpected issue during pregame warmups, their performance should not be limited. While ankle injuries can be serious and prone to recurrence, the initial injuries were reportedly minor, and both players are prepared for the Warriors’ season opener.
However, the Warriors will be without fifth-year forward Moses Moody, who is currently dealing with a calf injury, keeping him sidelined for a period at the start of the new season. There is no definitive timetable for his return.
The Warriors will open their 2025–26 NBA season on Tuesday night in Los Angeles against Luka Dončić and the Lakers.
