Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shared his reasons for benching forward Jonathan Kuminga ahead of their game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. When speaking at the post-game press conference, he said:
“We’ve just found a group since Jimmy got here that we’re pretty comfortable with.”
While discussing the absences of Gui Santos and Kuminga from the floor tonight, Kerr added, “It doesn’t mean they’re out of the loop going forward; this is just how this game played out.”
Kerr also shared the details of his conversation with the Warriors forward before he was informed of his DNP status.
“I just told him in the walkthrough. I didn’t tell him he wasn’t going to play because I wasn’t sure if he was going to play or not. But I told him we were gonna not go to the usual rotation and then go from there.“
Steve Kerr on why Jonathan Kuminga didn't play today:
"We've just found a group since Jimmy got here that we're pretty comfortable with… both [Gui Santos] and JK have been really impactful players for us. It doesn't mean they're out of the loop going forward, this is just how… pic.twitter.com/rl7ay3yfag
— KNBR (@KNBR) April 13, 2025
Steve Kerr’s decision to bench Jonathan Kuminga did come as a bit of a shock to many. Kuminga has had quite a productive season with the Warriors and has been integral to the team’s functioning and overall success.
Jimmy Butler‘s arrival did create some challenges concerning the rotation. Butler joined the Warriors at a time when Kuminga was still recovering from an injury.
Butler’s integration into the rotation yielded immense success for the Dubs. In a 14-game stretch leading up to Kuminga’s return against the Sacramento Kings, Golden State racked up a 12-2 record. Of those two losses, Butler hadn’t suited up for a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
At this point in the season, the Warriors had some tremendous momentum going in their favor. But Kuminga’s return to action saw the team hit a bit of a plateau in performance as they went 11-6 in their last stretch of games.
Although an 11-6 record isn’t bad on paper, the Warriors were in a tight spot in a highly competitive Western Conference table. Every win and loss had major implications. With the last game resulting in a 119-124 loss to the Clippers, the Warriors found themselves in a troublesome situation.
The decision to bench Kuminga for the entirety of the game also comes as a bit of a shock when considering the forward’s last performance against them.
The Warriors forward dropped 34 points and 10 rebounds against the Clippers when he and the Warriors faced them in December. Unfortunately, this game resulted in a 92-102 loss for the Dubs.
Kerr’s decision may be received or viewed as problematic when considering the tense relationship with Kuminga. The team definitely cannot afford such a situation at this juncture.
Following the loss in the last game of the regular season, the Warriors found themselves falling to seventh in the West. Now set for the Play-In Tournament, Golden State must rally together to face off against the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Tuesday.
