SAN FRANCISCO — Sixty-five minutes earlier than tipoff, Jonathan Kuminga stood at his locker after working pregame sprints throughout the Warriors’ training-room flooring within the Chase Middle. As he warmed up, ESPN reported that the Warriors had been bringing him off the bench despite the fact that that they had Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins and De’Anthony Melton unavailable.
Kuminga stated he hadn’t but talked face-to-face with Steve Kerr in regards to the choice.
“It’s his decision,” Kuminga stated. “I’m not the coach. If Steve’s made his decision, he’s made his decision. I’m not the coach.”
Kuminga stated he’s “not tripping” about coming off the bench, however that there’s rising skepticism inside Kuminga’s camp about Kerr’s dedication to that includes the wing in Golden State’s offense.
Simply three video games into the season, after Kuminga’s camp and the Warriors couldn’t strike a deal on a rookie extension, tensions are effervescent between the 2 sides.
Negotiations by no means gained critical traction between the Warriors and Kuminga earlier than the rookie extension deadline. The Warriors valued in-season flexibility that will’ve disappeared had they prolonged Kuminga. Kuminga’s camp wasn’t hard-lined on the max-contract, however by no means obtained presents they deemed market worth, per sources.
On Tuesday night time, Kerr declined to announce a beginning lineup in his pregame press convention. When requested immediately if Kuminga would begin, he stated, “Possibly.”
Kerr then didn’t must reply questions pregame about his beginning lineup of Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, Draymond Inexperienced and Trayce Jackson-Davis. It seems the Warriors prioritized Moody’s 3-point capturing over Kuminga’s downhill risk, in addition to retaining the continuity of Inexperienced and Jackson-Davis collectively.
Selecting to convey Kuminga off the bench towards New Orleans is a stunning choice from the teaching employees. With Curry, Wiggins and Melton every dominated out with accidents, the sport formed up one wherein the Warriors would wish to characteristic Kuminga closely on offense. He averaged 16.1 factors per sport final season and is arguably Golden State’s most naturally gifted scorer.
Kuminga has struggled to start out the season, although. By way of the primary three video games of the season, he’s averaging 8.0 factors and three.3 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per sport. The large lineup with Kuminga taking part in small ahead subsequent to 2 non-shooting bigs hasn’t but complemented his sport, and the 12-man rotation Kerr is utilizing has trimmed down his minutes.
“I don’t ever worry about a small sample size like that,” Kerr stated of Kuminga. “JK had a really good preseason, he’ll come around. We’re going to need his force, his athleticism. Tonight could be a big night for him in that regard, depending on how the game plays out. We’ve obviously played 12 people each game, which means it’s going to be a little harder for guys individually to find their rhythm, because they’re not playing as much. I’m not worried about JK at all. He’ll come around.”
Kuminga answered questions in knowledgeable method at his locker earlier than the sport, repeating that he’s not the coach and the choice is out of his palms.He stated he’s simply right here to play when requested if he has a choice between beginning or coming off the bench; he began 46 of 74 video games performed final 12 months.
He additionally described the begin to his season as “decent.”
“You’re not just going to come out of the gate and be perfect every time,” Kuminga stated. “You’re trying to figure out things, trying to figure out new people, the way we’re playing. Different offense, different sets. So, just got to figure it out.”
The connection between Kerr and Kuminga is one to look at. Final season, after Kerr benched Kuminga for the ultimate 18 minutes of a loss to Denver, The Athletic reported that Kuminga “lost faith” in his coach.
Now, lower than per week into the season, the 2 have some finding out to do.
“I’m used to — this is my fourth year,” Kuminga stated. “This isn’t the first time things like that happened. Like I said, I’m not the coach, that’s his decision. We’ll roll with his decision.”
