Jonathan Kuminga has been going through a difficult time with the Golden State Warriors. The seventh pick in the 2021 NBA Draft hasn’t found the success he was hoping for during his time in the NBA. In a recent interview with ESPN, Kuminga seemed very pensive about his career and noted that his background and upbringing, along with his recent experiences is something that other players wouldn’t endure.
“Sometimes I start, sometimes I don’t start. Don’t really affect me. [At] this point in my career, I can’t put my head down and not go out there and play hard or try to be effective. I just go out there and do my job because I can’t even worry about things like that. The more you worry about things like that, the more you fail.”
“I’m used to it. From where I come from, you always got to be mentally tough. A lot of people that are playing… If they were in my shoes, they’ll quit basketball. They’ll need a therapist. They’ll go through a lot of mental situations. But that thing don’t affect me. As long as I go out here every day and just play, be with my teammates, [they] keep encouraging me to be who I am every day.”
Kuminga hasn’t been able to earn a starting spot on the Warriors in the four seasons that he has been there. In his rookie season, he played a bench role, as the Warriors went on to win the NBA championship. And while that was a great accomplishment for Kuminga, winning the highest prize in the sport in just his first year in the league, he would have wanted to be more involved.
As time has gone on, the assumption was that Kuminga would be given more of an opportunity to earn minutes and eventually a starting role with the Warriors. And that hasn’t necessarily been the case. Head coach Steve Kerr has opted to play other, more experienced players in his place for the time being.
Kerr explained this decision while also taking the opportunity to call Kuminga out, asking him to step up and laying out exactly what he demands from the youngster. But for Kuminga to be able to deliver like Kerr wants him to, he needs to get more opportunities as a starter, and not just be brought up from the bench.
Many believe that Kuminga has grown frustrated with the Warriors. Recently, his social media activity suggested the same and fueled trade rumors surrounding him. Kuminga is a restricted free agent next summer, meaning he can talk to other teams, but the Warriors have the right to match whatever offer he gets from them.
Kuminga has definitely played well this season, averaging 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field, 33.3% from the three-point line, and 60.5% from the free-throw line.
There will be several teams ready to take Kuminga as part of a trade package, and the Warriors clearly need upgrades, as their team is just not playing well. Perhaps it is time for the Warriors and Kuminga to part ways and find a better solution away from each other.
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