The injury plague has taken yet another top NBA star. Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL in the Warriors’ 135-112 victory over the Heat on Monday, is now done for the season. The 36-year-old joins names like Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and more who have had important seasons cut short by injury. And Butler’s long absence leaves Golden State in uncertainty.
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The Dubs were finally starting to gather some momentum while battling out in the middle of the ultra-competitive West. Without Butler, Steve Kerr has been dragged into an uncomfortable position.
The coach and Jonathan Kuminga must start figuring out how to co-exist, or he and Steph Curry will watch another season slip away on their quest for a fifth ring. Here’s the good news, though. The All-Star break is approaching, bringing with it a heavy time for trades.
Kendrick Perkins has a suggestion for who can make an immediate impact after getting plugged into the Warriors’ offense alongside The Chef. Giannis Antetokounmpo is Big Perk’s pick. “It’s time. It’s the perfect timing,” claimed Perkins on the Road Trippin pod.
“If I’m Steph right now, I’m getting my light-skinned a**, green eyes, and I’m picking up the f***ing phone. And you know who I’m calling? I’m calling Giannis. And saying, ‘Hey man, what are you winning on? Dammit, I need you, and you need me. Let’s make it happen right now,'” he added.
Kendrick can be outlandish at times with his takes. But there might be something to this. Giannis’ entry would instantly put the Dubs back on the map as a threat in the West. It would also give them the star power to hang with the elite teams in the West, like the Spurs and the Thunder.
“If you’re Giannis, and you talk about winning championships, and we talk about winning championships, and we talk about that window closing, it’s perfect timing,” continued KP.
“And I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. No one is going to be mad at Antetokounmpo if he wants out of Milwaukee. No one should have a damn thing to say about it,” he added.
That’s for sure. Giannis has already won the Bucks a ring, and that’s enough to cement him in the Hall of Milwaukee greats. But the franchise hasn’t given him any help. And, when they did with Damian Lillard, wouldn’t you know it, Dame Time went down with a torn Achilles.
It should also be noted that Giannis has been very vocal about wanting to continue building a contender in Milwaukee. On the flipside, he’s recently come out and said, “I don’t know,” when asked if he’ll end the season as a Buck, claiming he’s taking it “day by day.”
To further substantiate his point, Kendrick cited the Cavaliers’ victory over the Warriors in the grueling 2016 seven-game series as an example. When it ended, he shared that Draymond Green was the first person to contact Kevin Durant to help the Dubs get some revenge the following season.
“Who got in the car and called Kevin Durant? Draymond. Mother f***er ay, put your pride aside and make that call,” barked Perkins at Curry.
The thing back then was that KD was a free agent. The Dubs would have to give up a lot for the Greek Freak. Doesn’t mean that it’s not worth it, but the situations, albeit somewhat similar, are also somewhat distant.
Regardless, this feels less about Giannis specifically and more about urgency. The Warriors don’t have the luxury of patience anymore. Steph’s window is shrinking, injuries are piling up, and half-measures won’t cut it. If there’s a real chance to swing big, you at least have to explore it. Standing still might be the riskiest move of all.
