Stephen Curry is set to return for the Golden State Warriors in their fourth preseason game at Moda Center on Tuesday night, but there will be no Jimmy Butler who will sit out after suffering an ankle sprain at practice on Friday.
With Draymond Green also resting from Tuesday's game, Jonathan Kuminga will be provided a major opportunity to silence a false narrative that's emerged over recent years -- his inability to play effectively alongside Curry.
Jonathan Kuminga should retain a starting role on Tuesday
Kuminga's fit at the Warriors has long been a concern and played a major role in his elongated free agency process that took the entire offseason to resolve. Yet often Curry gets brought into such conversations, perhaps owing to the fact they're at opposite ends of their career, or simply because the 2x MVP is clearly Golden State's best player and everything the franchise does should revolve around him.
The idea that Curry and Kuminga can't play well together is a false narrative though. Over the past two seasons the duo have actually been quite effective -- the Warriors were a +9.4 in net rating in the 545 minutes Curry and Kuminga shared the floor together last season, while they were +5.3 in 1142 minutes the year before.
Kuminga's fit with Butler and Green is of much greater concern, but that won't be in the immediete short-term as Golden State prepare to face a young, athletic Portland team without their two veteran forwards.
There was a mixed bag from Kuminga in Sunday's 126-116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, with the 23-year-old showcasing some of his improved passing with six assists but intertwining that with five turnovers.
With Butler, Green and Moses Moody all out, it seems assured that Kuminga will retain his starting role. Curry's return should ease some of the offensive burden he felt on Sunday, while also providing much needed spacing after some of Kuminga's turnovers against the Lakers came directly from forcing passes into a crowded paint area.
Al Horford is also expected to suit up after missing the Lakers game, potentially giving fans more of a look at what could be a dynamic front court combination with the veteran center's 3-point shooting, high IQ and defensive versatility mixed with Kuminga's raw talent and athleticism.
Head coach Steve Kerr (via ESPN's Anthony Slater) is hopeful that Butler will return for Friday's preseason finale against the L.A. Clippers, but for now Kuminga gets an opportunity to prove again that his fit with Curry isn't the issue.
