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Romanov Out, Warren In: Islanders Prospect Set For Major Evaluation Window

After placing defenseman Alexander Romanov on injured reserve, the New York Islanders announced that Marshall Warren has been recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. 

Islanders’ Alexander Romanov Injured After Mikko Rantanen Boarding Major vs. Stars; Patrick Roy's ResponseIslanders’ Alexander Romanov Injured After Mikko Rantanen Boarding Major vs. Stars; Patrick Roy's ResponseRomanov was injured on a late-game boarding major. A costly hit against the Stars leaves Islanders fans anxiously awaiting an update on their defenseman's status.

For Warren, Romanov's expected long-term absence creates a significant opportunity for the 24-year-old.  The Laurel Hollow native filled in for Romanov earlier this season, playing two games and recording two assists in his NHL debut.

There's two questions we must ask ourselves. 

The first being why Warren was recalled over other options, and the second being just how long Warren can last at the NHL level this year?

Warren, who has been one of, if not the best, defenseman in Bridgeport all season, has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 10 AHL games this season, with four assists in six games since returning from his NHL stint.

The team had almost no choice but to recall Warren.

Isaiah George, who played 33 games for the Islanders last season, has been excellent defensively, with four points (one goal, three assists) in 14 games. But George is out injured with an upper-body injury of his own and is not available. Had George been available, it wouldn't have been a shock to see him recalled over Warren, just based on experience. 

Elsewhere, Cole McWard excelled with three goals and 11 points through 14 games, but he shoots right, not left, making him a non-option at the moment.

So, with both factors of Warren excelling and no other clear options, it became very easy for the Islanders to recall the Long Island native. 

That brings us back to the second question. Can Warren sustain a high enough level to excel at the NHL level and be a perfect internal solution to the Romanov injury?

There's plenty of evidence that says yes. Throughout Warren's career, he's consistently elevated his game and exceeded expectations placed on him, and at every new level, he's improved.

It's been highly evident in Bridgeport, where he entered last season as almost an afterthought, then became essential by the end of the season. Then, he impressed in both development and training camp, showing off improved skating, confidence, and physicality.

He carried that momentum into his AHL season and through his first call-up, where in two games, he didn't look even a little bit out of place against the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers. 

Now will be his biggest challenge, as he will be asked to fill the shoes of Romanov. The runway's in front of Warren. All he has to do is take off and take advantage of the opportunity.

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Canadiens: Avenging Elimination

While the Montreal Canadiens surprised most people by making the playoffs last year, they didn’t surprise themselves. They thought they had what it took to make it, and they did. Once there, though, they saw that it was a whole different game, a tougher one, a more vicious one and one they weren’t necessarily ready for. Nearly seven months later, the young Habs will get a chance to avenge their elimination at the hands of the Washington Capitals and put an end to a four-game losing streak, all in one swift motion.

Tonight’s opponents roll into two, riding a two-game winning streak and having put seven goals on the board last night against the Edmonton Oilers. The Caps are currently outside of the playoff picture, looking in, but they’re right on the doorstep, two points behind the surprising Pittsburgh Penguins for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Canadiens: Hughes Won’t Jump The Gun
Canadiens: Injury Plague Gives Zach Bolduc A Big Opportunity
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Rose To The Challenge

After scoring at an alarming pace last season to break Wayne Gretzky’s record, Alexander Ovechkin is on pace for 29 goals this year, which would be his lowest total since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season in which he put up 24 goals in the 45 games he played. Still, he scored a goal last night in the Caps’ offensive picnic, and with 70 career points in 60 games against Montreal, the Russian idol will no doubt be pleased to take on the Habs.

Martin St-Louis has already announced that Samuel Montembeault would be in the net tonight, despite Jakub Dobes putting an end to the Canadiens’ pointless streak on Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Still, it wasn’t a win, so switching goalies is understandable. The Becancour native has started five regular-season games against the Caps and has a 2-3-0 record to show for it, with a 3.49 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. As for Dobes, he’s only faced them once in the regular season, winning that game with a 1.96 GAA and a .882 SV. Both goalies played in Montreal’s sole win over Washington in last season’s playoffs since Dobes relieved Montembeault after he was injured.

GOTTA SEE IT: Tom Wilson And Josh Anderson Fight On Capitals Bench

The Capitals have yet to confirm who will be in the net, but since Logan Thomson was on duty Wednesday night, it would make sense for Charlie Lindgren to get the nod. The former member of the Habs’ organization has a 3-1-0 record against his former team with a 2.51 GAA and a .899 SV. As for Thompson, he has a 1-0-1 record against the Canadiens with a 3.04 GAA and a .889 SV. He’s established himself as the clear number one in the American capital, having started 14 games to Lindgren’s six.

Tonight’s game is the first of three duels between the two sides this season, the other two being scheduled in January (in Washington) and February (in Montreal). The Caps have won six of the last 10 duels between the two teams, but they’ve outscored the Canadiens 40-32 in that span.

On top of Ovechkin, many Caps have enjoyed playing the Canadiens over the years. John Carlson has 26 points in 44 duels, Tom Wilson has 19 points in 28 games, and Dylan Strome has 13 points in just 12 matches.

Meanwhile, both Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have more than a point per game against tonight’s visitors. The captain has 19 points in just 15 games, while the sniper has 13 points in 11 games. Alternate captains Brendan Gallagher and Mike Matheson also have 13 points each, but in 30 and 27 games, respectively.

Yesterday at practice, St-Louis stuck to the new lines he used against Columbus on Monday, meaning Zach Bolduc will skate on the first line and Juraj Slafkovsky on the second. Given the history between the two teams, we should be able to see St-Louis’ new power-play units at work as well.

The Bell Centre was hosting something else than hockey yesterday. Photo credit: Marc Chalifoux

While the Capitals were busy handing out a defeat to the Oilers last night, the Canadiens were busy donating their time at the organization’s 44th blood drive. Close to 850 people had booked appointments to donate blood, and the reward for their good deed was the opportunity to meet some of the players and members of the organization. It was all hands on deck as players relayed each other throughout the day to greet donors and sign autographs.

Cole Caufield was as popular as ever with fans at the blood drive. Photo credit: Marc Chalifoux

The initiative was launched in 1981 by the late, great Jean Beliveau, and according to an Hema Quebec representative, it has saved over 116,000 lives since its inception, meaning you could fill up the Bell Centre six times with the people whose lives it has changed. Fans in attendance tonight will hope the players won’t be as generous with their opponents as they were with their time with the donors yesterday. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch the game on RDS, TSN2, and MNMT.

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Draymond Green recalls ‘deep' Jordan Poole conversation he had with Al Horford

Draymond Green recalls ‘deep' Jordan Poole conversation he had with Al Horford originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green has processed and moved on from the incident with Jordan Poole that disrupted the Warriors’ 2022-23 NBA season, but it resurfaced again with one of his new teammates.

The Warriors forward was asked by Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown on the latest episode of his NFL show, “Why Is Draymond Green Talking About Football? with Jordan Schultz” about he and Steph Curry’s longevity with Golden State and how new players might be intimidated when joining a locker room with such established voices.

Green recalled an honest conversation he had with one of the Warriors’ newest players, who also happens to be the oldest on the roster.

“We had a conversation, we had a minicamp in San Diego this past September and Jimmy Butler hosted it and it was incredible,” Green said. “And we had a dinner outside in Jimmy’s backyard. Myself, Al [Horford], I think Moses [Moody] maybe, Will Richard … And so we were sitting there talking, and Al asked me a question … He said: ‘Man, so the elephant in the room, I have to ask you, we’ve got to know, what happened with you and Jordan Poole? Like why?’

“So we start going through the whole thing and it was a very deep conversation, and from that one question, the conversation among us probably went on for an hour. It was one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with teammates, because in that moment, it made me realize ‘Ah man, these new guys are coming to this team, and they don’t really know what to expect from me. They don’t know, like, ‘Is this guy just going to hit one of his teammates?’ They didn’t know what to expect.”

Green realized at that moment that even though he already has explained and moved on from the Poole incident, there are some outside the organization that still might have some trepidation — or at least questions — about his leadership in the locker room.

“And so when we had that conversation, I was like “Ah damn, OK. I really gotta lock in.’ And we had an incredible conversation, and you could just kind of feel the tension right there among that group just [disappear,]” Green added. “It was such a learning lesson for me … because if he never asked that question, I don’t really know they feel that way.”

Green has discussed the incident countless times over the years, and it’s clear that he has moved on, but after the conversation with Horford, now he has fully processed his emotions and understands the perception some might have of him before getting to know him.

And if anyone has any questions about it moving forward, he won’t shy away from answering them.

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Columbus Blue Jackets (22 pts) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (20 pts) Game Preview

The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Scotiabank Arena. 

The Maple Leafs come into this game sitting at 9-9-2 with 20 points. They've gone 4-5-1 in their last 10 and are 1-4-1 in their last 6 games. Not exactly what you expect to see out of the Maple Leafs, but then again, this entire season has been wacky around the league. They also currently sit 7th in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the East. I know, mind blown right?

Everyone knew when Mitch Marner bolted for Vegas that they'd have a tough time replacing those 100 points, but I don't think anyone expected this. There are some mitigating circumstances though. Auston Matthews, Scott Laughton, Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo, and Anthony Stolarz are all on IR, with Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy also out. This is not an ideal situation for a team always expected to compete for a Stanley Cup. 

With all that being said, the Blue Jackets won't feel sorry for them, as they're dealing with injuries of their own. The Blue Jackets have historically played well in Toronto and will be looking to get back to winning and earn some points in this wacky Eastern Conference. 

The CBJ currently sits 5th in the Metro, 10th in the East, and 20th in the league. 

Blue Jackets Stats

  • Power Play - 17.4% - 22nd in NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 72.0% - 28th in NHL
  • Goals For - 59 - 18th in NHL
  • Goals Against - 64 - 23rd in NHL

Maple Leafs Stats

  • Power Play - 15.1% - 28th in NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 78.3% - 20th in NHL
  • Goals For - 70 - 2nd in NHL
  • Goals Against - 74 - 30th in NHL

Series History vs. The Maple Leafs

  • Columbus is 22-20-1 all-time, and 12-9-1 on the road vs. Toronto.
  • The Jackets are 5-2 in the last 7 against the Maple Leafs, and have scored 5-plus goals in every win.
  • The Blue Jackets are 12-6 inside Scotiabank Arena in the last 18 games.
  • The CBJ went 2-1 vs. the Leafs last season.

Who To Watch For TheMaple Leafs

  • John Tavares leads the Leafs with 11 goals.
  • William Nylander leads the team with 18 assists and 27 points.
  • Goalie Joseph Woll is 1-1 with a SV% of .934. He last played on November 18 and won.
  • Dennis Hildeby is 2-0-2 with a SV% of .904.

CBJ Player Notes vs.Maple Leafs

  • Zach Werenski has 17 points in 18 career games against Toronto.
  • Charlie Coyle has 25 points in 31 games.
  • Sean Monahan has 18 points in 29 games vs. the Maple Leafs.
  • Mathieu Olivier has 8 points in 6 games.

Injuries 

  • Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 12 games - IR
  • Boone Jenner - Upper Body - Missed 4 Games - IR

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 28

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 93.3 The Bus, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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How Warriors plan to reintegrate Jonathan Kuminga upon return from injury

How Warriors plan to reintegrate Jonathan Kuminga upon return from injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga has missed the last four games with a knee injury and will need to be reintegrated in the Warriors’ rotation upon his return. 

The Warriors struggled to integrate Kuminga in his last return from injury in March of last season, as coach Steve Kerr questioned his fit with new arrival Jimmy Butler. 

However, veterans Butler and Draymond Green shared with ESPN’s Anthony Slater their ideas on how to effectively bring Kuminga back into the fold this time around.

It mostly depends on whether Steph Curry is on or off the floor. 

“The second that Steph is in the game is completely different than when Steph is out and I’m in the game,” Butler told Slater. “And if you’re still trying to run the Steph stuff, it’s not going to work. Nobody’s overreacting to anybody. I’m not saying ‘No, we should never do that.’ All I’m saying is Steph is the ultimate cheat code. 

As the Warriors return home from a six-game road trip, there should be ample time for team practices. Green notes that this will help Kuminga get back into the mix. 

“Guess what we can do when he’s coming off the bench?” Green said. “Feature him. That’s what he needs. But it takes some time. There’s been no practice. He’s got his knee. So let’s get healthy and we’ll put this together. It’s a long season. He’s going to help us win a f–king ton of games.” 

Butler acknowledged that Kuminga’s impact does not necessarily have to revolve around scoring. 

“I think with that though, he has to understand it doesn’t mean just score,” Butler said. “Because I don’t mind taking the back seat to him and letting him do his thing. And I’m down there in the dunker spot, I’m setting screens. I don’t mind. But you know what we better do?…” 

“…We better f–king win. That’s it. Whatever we want to do, I’m fine with it. It better be towards winning. Cause that’s all that I care about. I don’t care about nothing else.” 

Kuminga was taken out of the starting lineup after starting the first 12 games of the season. He came off the bench against the San Antonio Spurs after a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He exited the game against the Spurs with knee soreness, which has kept him out since. 

The lineup change came as Kerr tried to find a way to maximize Curry, Butler and Green. 

“We’ve got to put Steph, Jimmy and Draymond in a position to succeed,” Kerr said. “That’s what wins in this league. Everyone has their best two or three players. How well can you support them and enhance them?” 

Kuminga was able to provide that support and enhancement at the beginning of the season, and the Warriors hope to rediscover that upon his return. 

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Panthers to host Devils looking to continue winning while embracing next man up mentality

A tough test awaits the Florida Panthers as they continue their five-game homestand on Thursday.

Florida, fresh off a wild 8-5 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, will welcome Nico Hischier and the New Jersey Devils to Sunrise.

The Devils are off to a hot start this season, jumping out to a strong 13-5-1 record.

This will be the second of three meetings between the Panthers and Devils this season.

New Jersey defeated the Cats 3-1 back on Oct. 16.

Despite Florida jumping out to an early 1-0 lead, the Devils clawed their way back on goals by Jack Hughes, Timo Meier and Hischier.

While the Devils are one of the league’s best teams on home ice so far this season – New Jersey is the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss at home – they’ve been much more average on the road.

Following Monday’s 5-1 loss in Tampa, the Devils are 6-5-0 on the road, which is nothing to sneeze at but pales in comparison to their 7-0-1 mark at Prudential Center.

Florida, similarly, has been quite good on home ice.

Their three-goal win over Vancouver earlier this week improved the Cats’ record at Amerant Bank Arena to 7-2-1.

Fueling Florida’s offense for much of this season has been Brad Marchand, and of late Sam Reinhart has also stepped up his game.

Marchand is currently riding an 11-game point streak during which he’s racked up an impressive 10 goals and 17 points.

Reinhart has three goals and eight points over a modest four-game point streak, but he’s also accumulated eight goals and 13 points over his past 11 outings.

The potent pair will certainly be trying to keep the good times rolling against the Devils, knowing that Florida will be entering the game as shorthanded as they’ve been all season.

Joining the team’s already extensive injured list this week were Eetu Luostarinen and Cole Schwindt, which caused the Cats to call up promising young forward Jack Devine from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

Devine will make his NHL debut on Thursday.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Thursday’s battle with the Canucks:

Mackie Samoskevich – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

Jesper Boqvist – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – A.J. Greer

Noah Gregor – Luke Kunin – Jack Devine

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Nov 1, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Dallas Stars during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Boris Becker: ‘Whoever says a prison life is easy is lying – it’s a real punishment’

Former Wimbledon champion on how taking accountability for his crimes allowed for rehabilitation, watching Novak Djokovic from his cell and the new era of brotherhood in the sport

“I heard the screaming and I didn’t know what it was,” Boris Becker says as he remembers staring into the dark in Wandsworth prison, just over two miles from Wimbledon’s Centre Court where he won the first of his three men’s singles titles at the age of 17 in 1985. “Were people trying to kill themselves or harm themselves? Or couldn’t they deal with their loneliness? Or are they just making crazy noises because they have lost their minds already?”

Becker had been sentenced to a two-and-a-half-year jail term. Amid his insolvency, he was found guilty of not declaring all his assets so that additional funds could be distributed to his creditors. The judge confirmed that his money was used, instead, to meet his “commitments to his children and other dependents, medical and professional fees, and other expenses”.

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Canadiens Top TSN’s Core-Four Under 24 Ranking

For a second year in a row, the Montreal Canadiens top TSN’s core-four under-24 ranking. This year, the Habs’ core four used in the rankings is made up of Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, Jacob Fowler and Juraj Slafkovsky. Last year, Cole Caufield was part of that ranking, but now that he’s no longer eligible because of his age, they’ve slotted in Jacob Fowler instead.

To make up these standings, TSN rates players with grades going from AAA for superstars, AA for elite players, A for number one goaltender, first-line forward, or first pairing defenseman, B for tandem goalie, top-four defenseman or top-six forward and C for back-up goalies, depth defenseman or bottom-six forward.

Canadiens: Hughes Won’t Jump The Gun
Canadiens: Injury Plague Gives Zach Bolduc A Big Opportunity
Canadiens: Slafkovsky Rose To The Challenge

For TSN, both Hutson, the reigning Calder Trophy winner, and Demidov, a serious candidate for the Calder this year, deserve an AAA grade as superstars in the making. As for Fowler, who they believe will be the Canadiens’ starter sooner or later, they give him an A, just like Slafkovsky, who’s been a mainstay on the Canadiens’ first line over the last few years, and up until the previous game, really.

It's interesting to note that in these rankings, Hutson was labelled a B player in 2023 and an A player in 2024. It took time, but the young defenseman has finally earned the panel's respect.

Fowler’s inclusion was a logical move given the fact that he already has three shutouts in the AHL this season, and he’s sporting a .924 save percentage. TSN’s Chris Peters calls him “ as close as you get to a sure thing in goal”. Given the state of goaltending in Montreal this season, this will be music to the fans’ ears.

The Canadiens edged the Chicago Blackhawks in the rankings (the Hawks have only one AAA player, Conor Bedard),  and the San Jose Sharks  for the same reason. The complete rankings can be found here.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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Vancouver Canucks Gameday Preview #22: Stars In Town As Quinn Hughes Plays 450th Career Game

The Vancouver Canucks (9-10-2) return home for a two-game homestand, starting with a matchup against the Dallas Stars (12-5-3). This will be the second meeting between these two Pacific Division teams, with Vancouver picking up a 5-3 victory earlier in the season. Both the Canucks and the Stars are coming off losses and will be motivated to get back in the win column on Thursday night. 

This game is shaping up to be a memorable one as Quinn Hughes hits the 450 mark for his NHL career. When the puck drops, he will become just the 13th defenceman to play 450 regular-season games for Vancouver. While he is only 26, Hughes is already considered the best defender in franchise history and is in the conversation for best defenceman currently playing in the NHL.

If the Canucks are going to win this game, they need to find a way to shut down Dallas' power play. The Stars come into this game ranked second in the NHL with a 31.9% power play rate. If Vancouver's penalty kill can't find a way to step up, they could be playing from behind late in the game. 

Oct 16, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) and Dallas Stars center Colin Blackwell (15) chase the puck during the second period at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Players To Watch:

David Kämpf:

Thursday will be the first time fans at Rogers Arena get to see David Kämpf in action. The 30-year-old had a rough first game with the Canucks, as he was on the ice for five goals against in 14:08. Projected to play on a line with Conor Garland and Brock Boeser, Kämpf should get plenty of minutes Thursday against Dallas. 

Wyatt Johnston: 

Wyatt Johnston has been virtually unstoppable on the power play this year. Of his 11 goals, eight have come with the man advantage while his 13 power play points ranks second on the team. Johnston is developing into an elite young talent who could haunt Vancouver for years to come. 

 Vancouver Canucks (9–10–2): 

Points: 

Quinn Hughes: 1–19–20

Elias Pettersson: 6–13–19

Kiefer Sherwood: 12–3–15 

Brock Boeser: 8–6–14

Conor Garland: 5–8–13

Goaltenders: 

Thatcher Demko: 5–4–0  

Kevin Lankinen: 4–5–2 

Jiří Patera: 0-1-0

Dallas Stars (12-5-3):

Points: 

Mikko Rantanen: 9-18-27

Jason Robertson: 11-14-25

Wyatt Johnston: 11-10-21

Miro Heiskanen: 3-15-18

Roope Hintz: 4-12-16

Goaltenders: 

Jake Oettinger: 8-4-2

Casey DeSmith: 4-1-1

Game Information: 

Start time: 7:00 pm PT

Venue: Rogers Arena

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: Sportsnet 650 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Why Jonathan Kuminga leans on Jimmy Butler as shaky Warriors career continues

Why Jonathan Kuminga leans on Jimmy Butler as shaky Warriors career continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler’s arrival to the Warriors in February brought questions about Jonathan Kuminga’s fit on the team. 

Those questions were put to rest momentarily at the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, as Kuminga played in the starting lineup alongside Butler, and the Warriors started hot out of the gate with a 4-1 record. 

A recent decline in production and a demotion back to the bench reignited those speculations for Kuminga. Through it all, the 23-year-old forward continues to lean on Butler’s mentorship, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater. 

“I feel like, in this league, he’s one of the people that actually [has] been in my shoes throughout their career,” Kuminga said. “And knows what I’ve been going through.” 

Amid Kuminga’s recent struggles on the court, Butler hosted his mentee at his home for dinner after Golden State’s win over the Indiana Pacers last week. 

“I realize that he listens to me,” Butler told ESPN. “He respects me. And I don’t ever take that for granted. But I’m always going to tell him the truth, too. And when JK doing some bulls–t, I’m going to tell him we can’t have that, man.” 
 
“I think everybody comes to that stepping-stone moment in their career where you know that you can get over that hump,” Butler said. “Some people are like, ‘Nah, you’re not ready for that yet.’ But you know better. I think that’s where he is. I was at that point.” 

During contentious offseason contract negotiations between Kuminga and the Warriors, Butler told ESPN that Kuminga reached out to the veteran. Kuminga told Butler that he would not be attending a minicamp at Butler’s home in San Diego. 

“Bro, that’s fine,” Butler told Kuminga. “You got to do what’s best for you. I understand the situation you’re in. I don’t think anybody on the squad got bad blood. I rock with you. I see a lot of myself in you.” 

Once Kuminga’s contract was resolved, his relationship with Butler continued throughout training camp. Butler worked with Kuminga on the side to help their on-court fit, as well as spending time with him off the court, according to Slater. 

“[Kuminga] was determined to do it and Jimmy was determined to help him with it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “For me as a coach, winning solves everything.” 

With some newfound turbulence, Butler’s mentorship can help steer the narrative back to the positivity that was present at the beginning. 

“I realize that he listens to me,” Butler said. “He respects me. And I don’t ever take that for granted. But I’m always going to tell him the truth, too. And when JK doing some bulls—, I’m going to tell him we can’t have that, man.” 

Even in the absence of the cure-all that is winning, Kuminga has someone to lean on to stay afloat as questions and rumors about him make the rounds. 

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Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga reportedly told Steve Kerr to coach him harder

Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga reportedly told Steve Kerr to coach him harder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It is no secret that Jonathan Kuminga and Steve Kerr’s relationship has been rocky over the years.

But after Kuminga signed a two-year contract with the Warriors this offseason, the two appeared to be on the same page moving forward. It even reached a point where Kuminga actually encouraged Kerr to coach him harder, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater.

“Kuminga, team sources said, had voiced to Kerr a desire to be coached harder,” Slater wrote. “There was even a meeting about it in their Sacramento hotel prior to the ninth game of the season and Kerr appeared to make it a point during the Kings game to call Kuminga over and get on him constructively several times.”

Kuminga, at that point, was playing the best basketball of the season. He was doing the things Kerr and the Warriors had been asking of him for years.

The young wing was averaging 17.2 points on 51.4-percent shooting from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point range through the first nine games, with 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists in 30.9 minutes.

But then Golden State suffered ugly consecutive road losses to the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks and short-handed Indiana Pacers.

Then the Warriors’ skid reached three straight losses with a deflating defeat to the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. After that loss, Kerr changed things up and pulled Kuminga from the starting unit.

“We’ve got to put Steph, Jimmy and Draymond in a position to succeed,” Kerr said. “That’s what wins in this league. Everyone has their best two or three players. How well can you support them and enhance them?”

Kuminga has missed the last four games with bilateral knee tendonitis.

But the Warriors still are focused on getting him back into the mix once he returns.

And whenever that might be, he can expect the hard coaching that he once encouraged to continue.

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