Jonathan Kuminga had just started getting into a flow when the referees, Rodney Mott and Jenna Reneau, decided that his reaction to the no-call was unwarranted and ejected him from the Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers pre-season matchup. The game ended with the Warriors winning 118-111, but it was a win without Kuminga.
In Kuminga’s defense, there should’ve been a call as he ran to the basket for a layup when he was quite literally pushed by one of the Trail Blazers defenders. After the physical contact late in the first half, Kuminga went up to the referees to complain and apparently got into their faces.
This led to him being ejected by the officials, even though he was playing well up until that point. The 23-year-old forward had posted seven points, six rebounds, and four assists. But the no-call frustrated him and also led to his ejection. There’s currently no footage of the ejection as the cameras were busy with the continuation of the game, while Kuminga was making his case in front of the referees, reportedly, in an aggressive manner.
Isn’t shown on camera, but Kuminga made contact with the ref after arguing about a foul resulting in an immediate ejection
Things are heating up 🍿 pic.twitter.com/QqMifR9wSB
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Reliable sources said that he had the right to be upset by the no-call, but getting in the referee’s face for that was not the solution. Even Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was seen frustrated by the situation and asking the referees at halftime what exactly happened there.
This preseason, the young forward has been working on creating a space for himself on the team. Some argue that he’s showcasing all he’s got so that other interested franchises can snatch him away at the trade deadline.
But in either case, his performance has seen a stark improvement. In the three games he played, he’s averaged 7.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while playing 18.5 minutes every game.
According to insider Tim Bontemps, it has been a mixed bag for the 23-year-old, who just re-signed with the franchise after an entire offseason full of drama and discourse.
“I would say the first two games for Jonathan have been kind of a good example of the good and bad, in terms of what he can do… …Like, okay, first game, not as great second game, playing 18-ish minutes off the bench. Feels kind of like what the role is gonna be. Has shown some flashes, good and bad.” Bontemps opined.
Kuminga is playing in confusion as he makes his role clear with the Warriors. He cannot be left to just being an added offensive weapon that the Warriors aren’t even using to its full potential.
Playing 18-ish minutes off the bench and settling for 10 points a game is not what the 23-year-old will want in the long run. He has to find a fit with at least one rotation where he’s able to contribute fruitfully.
According to Bontemps’ analysis, Kuminga is overpassing and trying to spread his playmaking wings. But this isn’t the team to do that. They have plenty of playmaking options and one of the best point guards this generation has seen. So even though he knows that his coaching staff won’t appreciate his specific skill, he continues to show them whenever he can that that’s how he wants to go ahead.
The contract may have been signed, but a long road lies ahead for the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga.
