On Wednesday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr emphasized that only Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have guaranteed starting spots on his team entering the 2024-25 season.
That must be crushing to hear for Jonathan Kuminga, who reportedly butted heads with Kerr in the early goings of last season over his lack of playing time. And when he was finally let out of the proverbial doghouse, Kuminga seized his opportunity. In January, he averaged an impressive 20.6 points and 5.8 rebounds at 58/40/80 shooting splits, thriving as the second scoring option behind Curry.
At that juncture, it was incumbent upon the Warriors to embrace Kuminga as their future star. Instead, the opposite happened. As the season progressed, the Congolese native again saw his minutes shrink as he averaged just 26.5 minutes and 8.5 shots in April (down from 30.5 and 13.5, respectively, in January).
What exactly does Kuminga have to do to win over Kerr?
NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins is baffled at the Warriors' handling of the 21-year-old forward.
"What about Jonathan Kuminga?" Perkins asked on ESPN's "NBA Today" on Wednesday. "Why isn't he a starter? He needs to be the second option on this team. The jump he took last season — he played at an elite level and went on a streak where he averaged 20 every night for a while. He basically changed their offense and made Steve Kerr do things differently. If I'm Steve Kerr, I've gotta make sure there's a major focal point on Jonathan Kuminga."
Perkins noted how Kuminga would be motivated to "make a statement" after not agreeing to a contract extension with the team in the offseason and that Kerr must use that fuel to his benefit. However, if Kuminga is again not entrusted as a starter, it could backfire significantly for all parties involved.
Conflicting timelines
The Warriors fielded 27 different starting lineups last year, with only two of those units starting over 10 games together. That level of chopping and changing didn't help them build any rhythm, and the same issues will crop up again — unless they are prepared to make tough decisions.
Entering the new season, the Warriors are in a tricky position. Should they focus on developing their young core of Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and Trayce Jackson-Davis? Or should they give Curry and Green veteran help to try and pursue another championship?
If they were truly focused on the latter, they'd have traded Kuminga and/or Podziemski to land Paul George or Lauri Markkanen. Instead, they continue to want to have their cake and it, too. That approach is unfair on both Curry and Kuminga.
