Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr finally gave Jonathan Kuminga the license to shoot from the outside.
It’s a major development for the Warriors rising star, who shot 4 of 7 from the 3-point distance in their 122-112 preseason victory against their California rival Sacramento Kings on October 9.
“That’s what I’ve been telling him,” Kerr told reporters after their October 10 practice. “We want that shot. We want him, if he’s open, to let it fly.”
Over his first three seasons in the NBA, Kuminga only averaged 2.2 3-point attempts per game. His 32.1% accuracy from deep last season did not inspire confidence in Kerr to give him the green light to shoot.
Kuminga worked on his 3-point shot this offseason.
“I’m definitely confident,” Kuminga told The San Francisco Standard on September 20. “And I just can’t wait to go out there and show people what I’ve been working on and stuff. I mean, it’s always my thing to just work on certain things and get better. And I feel like shooting 3s, I’ve gotten so much better shooting.”
He’s showing it thus far in the preseason.
Through the Warriors’ first two games, Kuminga is hitting 44.4% clip on 4.5 3-point attempts — a significant jump from his career mark.
The difference, Kuminga told reporters after their October 10 practice, this time is he’s not overthinking.
“Coach wants me to take the ones that are open and not think about it,” Kuminga told reporters. “The more you don’t think about it, the more you make them.”
Jonathan Kuminga Looking to Make Splash on Contract Year
Kuminga is motivated to make his star turn this season following his breakout season because there’s so much at stake.
The 21-year-old former lottery pick is seeking a max deal — similar to the $224 million over five years his draft classmate Franz Wagner of Orlando Magic and Scottie Barnes of Toronto Raptors received, according to Yahoo Sports.
Kuminga and the Warriors have until October 31 to strike a deal. Otherwise, he will become a restricted free agent after this season.
Warriors Reluctant to Offer Max Deal
However, the Warriors “aren’t currently prepared to give Kuminga a max extension or anything that stretches too close to that $44.8 million annual salary,” per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
“There have been tentative extension discussions between the sides, league sources said, but a clear divide remains,” Slater wrote.
Part of the reason the Warriors are reluctant to extend Kuminga this offseason is because of the poison pill, according to Slater, which will make salary matching complicated in case they would need to include their young forward in star trade if the opportunity arises toward the February trade deadline.
The Warriors have pursued a more established star to pair with Stephen Curry from LeBron James at the trade deadline to Paul George and Lauri Markkannen this offseason.
Their actions showed the Warriors, while enamored with Kuminga’s potential, were getting impatient.
They wanted to maximize Curry’s remaining championship window.
It’s now up to Kuminga to show the Warriors he’s more than ready to be Curry’s new running mate.
Alder Almo is a basketball journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
