After his standout performances in the playoffs for the Warriors in the absence of Steph Curry, many are wondering why the team didn’t use Jonathan Kuminga more.
Kuminga had four DNP’s next to his name in the postseason, so he only played in eight of the Warriors’ 12 games.
Kuminga’s DNPs were due to his poor attitude, according to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock,
“Despite his talent, Kuminga’s propensity to look for his shot at the expense of the flow of Golden State’s offense has irked the coaching staff.
“During a late-season game against the Blazers, team sources say Kerr was incensed after several instances in which Kuminga looked off [Stephen] Curry to create his own offense. Kuminga subsequently received DNPs in the Warriors’ regular-season finale against the Clippers and then again in their play-in matchup against the Grizzlies. By the start of the playoffs, many within the organization wondered whether Kuminga, who is eligible for an extension, had played his last game as a Warrior.”
The Warriors haven’t really been sure about Kuminga since they drafted him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Murdock went on to say:
“On the one hand, he has long been considered a favorite of team co-executive chairman Joe Lacob, who has viewed him as the kind of talent to carry the Warriors into the post-Curry era. On the other, he’s been unable to earn the consistent trust of the coaching staff, leading to his being yanked in and out of the rotation.”
After the Dubs got eliminated, Kuminga addressed his future and also told the media he’d had his up’s and down’s with the team.
“I don’t know what the future is gonna be,” Kuminga said. “That’s something that any player would love to hear, going into a different year. I’m looking forward to that. I know it’s going to happen.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks shed some light on Kuminga’s situation at Golden State and all his options.
“Kuminga will receive a $7.9M Qualifying Offer by June 29.
After that there are 4 options:
1. Sign with Golden State.2. Sign an offer sheet with a team with room (BKN is the only team with $30M+). The Warriors have the right to match.3. Sign-and-trade (50% of his salary counts as outgoing salary)4. Sign the QO and become a UFA in 2026”
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