What should the Warriors expect in Jonathan Kuminga's return?

If fully healthy, Kuminga — who hasn’t played since Jan. 4 — should be in line for a sizable role in the Warriors’ rotation. Of course, things have changed in Golden State since Kuminga was last available, so his integration may be slightly more measured than some fans are expecting. 

With the emergence of players like Quentin Post and Moses Moody, and of course the addition of Butler, Kuminga is unlikely to step right back into the 25-plus minutes-per-game role he was seeing in late December and early January leading up to his injury. 

It should be noted however, that just prior to going down with injury, Kuminga appeared to be finally understanding how to hone his unique blend of explosive athleticism, downhill driving and perimeter capabilities. So surely the hope is that in the coming weeks, Kuminga can start to regain his pre-injury form, with the intention of heading into the playoffs with some serious momentum. 

Whether Kuminga ultimately starts or comes off the bench the remainder of the season — he’s started 10 of the 32 games he's appeared in this year — is hardly worth speculating about. The Warriors' starting five has been in flux the entirety of the year, regardless of who’s been healthy or not. 

What is of great importance when Kuminga returns, however, is that he understands his assignment. 

Consistency and malleability have not been strengths of Kuminga throughout his young career. The fourth-year forward has shown tons of promise — perhaps never more than right before his ankle injury — but with the Warriors playing their best basketball of the year right now, Kuminga must learn to be adaptable. 

Luckily for Kuminga, he has to look no further than new teammate, Butler, for what to aspire to. During the Warriors' most recent win over the Blazers, Butler — a perennial 20+ per-game-scorer — shot the ball 10 times in 35 minutes, en route to a 15-point, 10-assist, 10-rebound triple-double. 

Since arriving in the Bay, Butler has time and time again shown to his teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans that he could care less about his counting stats and that he is willing to do whatever it takes to win. 

The Warriors will no doubt need Kuminga’s scoring at some point or another during the final stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs, but it's important for the young forward to remember that there's plenty more that he has to contribute to Golden State in this late stretch.