Warriors' Gui Santos thriving as roster shakeup has pulled him to the fore

Absent Jimmy Butler and now Jonathan Kuminga, Gui Santos' purpose in the Golden State Warriors' offense has changed.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Gui Santos, a 23-year-old Brazilian combo forward for the Golden State Warriors, has been thriving in an expanded role due to injuries and trades that have thinned out the team's roster. With Jimmy Butler out for the season and Jonathan Kuminga traded to Atlanta, Santos has started the last seven games, averaging 15 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 62.7% shooting. Head coach Steve Kerr plans to keep Santos in the starting lineup even when Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis return, citing Santos' consistency and the team's need for size at the forward spots.

Why it matters

Santos' emergence as a key contributor for the Warriors is a testament to his development and the team's ability to identify and cultivate talent. With the roster shakeup, Santos has been given an opportunity to showcase his skills, and he has responded by playing some of the best basketball of his young career. This could be a turning point for Santos and the Warriors as they navigate the second half of the season.

The details

Santos, who averaged just 8.3 minutes per game as a rookie in 2023-24 and 13.6 minutes last season, has seen his role steadily increase this year. He started the season on the edge of the rotation but has since taken on a larger responsibility, particularly in the absence of Butler and Kuminga. Santos is now tasked with initiating the offense through dribble drives, a skill he has showcased by averaging 7.4 drives per game over the last seven contests, third-most on the team. He is shooting a blistering 76.5% on those drives, the highest mark on the Warriors during that stretch.

  • On January 26, Santos began his current stretch of starting the last seven games for the Warriors.
  • On February 6, Santos made the game-winning layup with 19.4 seconds left to beat the Memphis Grizzlies.

The players

Gui Santos

A 23-year-old Brazilian combo forward for the Golden State Warriors who has emerged as a key contributor in an expanded role due to injuries and trades.

Steve Kerr

The head coach of the Golden State Warriors, who plans to keep Santos in the starting lineup even when Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis return to the lineup.

Jimmy Butler

The Warriors' star player who is out for the season due to injury, opening up more playing time for Santos.

Jonathan Kuminga

The Warriors' young forward who was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, further clearing the way for Santos to take on a larger role.

Pat Spencer

A teammate of Santos who has watched his development firsthand through the Warriors' G League program and praised his playmaking abilities.

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What they’re saying

“Without Jimmy, we don't have much size at the (small forward and power forward) spots. Gui is — you can see by the way he's been playing. He's been one of our best players. He's consistent, gaining confidence by the day.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors (sfchronicle.com)

“More confident' attacking the basket, especially because of Draymond (Green), Steph, all the vets, Melton a lot too. They be like 'Gui, attack the rim, if you don't have the layup, if you don't have the finish, kick the ball out and we find out what we do after that.'”

— Gui Santos (sfchronicle.com)

“I think we're in a similar boat just getting that extra layer of confidence. Coach has given him the greenlight to go playmake. He's really crafty off the bounce. I think he's got some of the best footwork in the league. Stronger than people probably give him credit for and has a pretty tight handle. So, deceptive in a sense. A little bit of that European flair to it and Brazilian flair.”

— Pat Spencer, Teammate, Golden State Warriors (sfchronicle.com)

What’s next

The Warriors will continue to rely on Santos as a key contributor, and it will be interesting to see how his role evolves when Curry and Porzingis return to the lineup.

The takeaway

Gui Santos' emergence as a valuable player for the Warriors is a testament to the team's ability to develop talent and the importance of seizing opportunities when they arise. His consistent play and versatile skill set have made him an integral part of the Warriors' rotation, and his continued growth could be crucial to the team's success in the second half of the season.