In today’s Dub Hub:
- Jimmy Butler says the Warriors are starting to “figure out who we are following the team’s three-game road trip.
- ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Warriors will discuss trades for Jonathan Kuminga on Jan. 15.
- Pelicans’ Derik Queen becomes the first rookie to record a triple-double this season.
Ending their three-game road trip with back-to-back victories over the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls was a huge boost to the Golden State Warriors’ morale.
Jimmy Butler was among the team’s veteran players who returned to the lineup in Sunday’s win over the Bulls, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. After the game, Butler praised the Warriors’ energy and effort to finish off the road trip.
Golden State is beginning to find stability in a season that’s seen constant lineup shuffling. Even while playing undermanned — with Steph Curry and Draymond Green missing games due to injury — their depth stepped up. Pat Spencer continued a strong stretch of games with his fourth straight double-digit scoring performance, while Brandin Podziemski delivered one of his most complete games of the season: 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
Spencer’s emergence, the steady contributions from the rest of the rotation, and the return of veteran anchors like Butler have helped the Warriors navigate a turbulent stretch of injuries and inconsistency. If this road trip was any indication, the Warriors are slowly carving out an identity rooted in effort, depth, and cohesion — and Butler’s comments suggest the group feels that progress too.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, December 9th:
Warriors News:
Jimmy Butler exclusive: Pat Spencer changes Warriors vibes in back-to-back wins | Dubs Talk | NBCSBA
Shams’ Inside Pass: Trade buzz on Anthony Davis, Giannis, more | ESPN
The Warriors will discuss trades for forward Jonathan Kuminga when he is eligible to be moved Jan. 15, sources said, after discussions with the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings in the summer failed to progress. Golden State wants to find upgrades on its roster, and Kuminga’s $22.5 million salary could be used in bigger trade scenarios.
Kuminga, who missed just over two weeks in November because of knee tendinitis, has had fluctuating roles and performances since a strong start to the season. He was a DNP-CD in Sunday’s blowout win in Chicago.
The Warriors Just Found Their Baby Draymond Green | Bench Mob Blog
In his short stint with the Thunder in 2024-25 (six games, 21 total minutes played), Leons was a 73rd percentile help defender according to BBall Index. He also held opponents to 8.5% lower than their expected efficiency at the rim (86th percentile) while covering 1.4 miles defensively per 75 possessions (84th percentile). In the G League this season, he’s averaging 1.7 steals and 1.1 blocks. The Netherlands native is stupidly switchable and mobile for a guy of his size. He’s active in every way on defense— he sees the floor and makes sharp rotations while executing any and every coverage in the book.
NBA News:
Should You Go All In for Giannis? History Screams No. | The Ringer
“Whenever a situation like this arises, it’s always, ‘Let’s get him now, we’ll figure out the rest later,’” said a second team executive. “You get that sudden rush of excitement, that ‘Hey, we got Giannis.’” But, the same person admitted, it’s an understandable impulse because every team is on the hunt for a superstar—or, if it has one, is on the hunt for another to pair with the first. “At that moment, you go for it.”
Pelicans’ rookie Derik Queen records 30-point triple-double
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Warriors waive No. 52 pick Toohey, add Thunder wing
But Toohey has struggled with injuries, shooting, and keeping up with the pace and athleticism of the American game. Granted, he was also hurt, so it’s hard to judge him too severely. Toohey needs knee surgery which will keep him out for the season, so waiving the 21-year-old Canberran was an easy decision. This doesn’t mean Toohey is out of the Dubs’ future plans entirely, but there’s no reason to keep him on a two-way deal if he can’t play this year.
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