Among the perfect storm of things that has led to an end-of-a-dynasty reality for the Warriors this season — along with the fact they wouldn’t even make the play-in if the postseason started today — is Steve Kerr’s stubborn belief in the veterans on this roster, playing them in front of his youth, even in the face of evidence that it’s time to change.
Case in point: Jonathan Kuminga started for the Warriors against the Nuggets Thursday night, shot 5-of-7 on his way to 16 points, was a +6 bringing needed athleticism to the floor, but didn’t play the final 18 minutes of the game when the Warriors fell apart, blew a 17-point lead and lost to the Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in heartbreaking fashion.
Kuminga has now lost faith in his ability to develop under Kerr, reports Shams Charania and Anthony Slater at The Athletic.
...the 2021 lottery pick no longer believes Kerr will allow him to reach his full potential, sources close to Kuminga tell The Athletic, adding another layer of turbulence to an already complex Warriors season.
"(Thursday night) was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” one of the sources said.
Kerr was asked after the game about not playing Kuminga down the stretch (answer via NBC Sports Bay Area). It should be noted the Warriors built that large lead with Kuminga on the bench (they trailed by one when he came out of the game).
“He was playing great. His normal time to go back in would have been around the five- or six-minute mark [in the fourth]. [Andrew Wiggins] was playing great, we were rolling, were up 18, 19, whatever it was. So we just stayed with him. Then, at that point, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. He had been sitting for a while. So I stayed with the group that was out there, and obviously, we couldn’t close it out.”
A frustrated Kuminga was diplomatic when asked about the situation postgame, but you can feel his frustration. Via NBC Sports Bay Area:
“It’s a little, I don’t know how to say it, it’s a little weird. I’ve been here for three years now, I’m used to it. I’m never surprised when I see a lineup change at the end of the game or even in the game. It’s a culture thing...
“I’m very proud of myself,” Kuminga said. “I’ve come so far and I still have a lot of things to accomplish. This is just the beginning of the journey, where things are just changing. Hopefully it changes even more.”
Now it’s Kuminga who wants a change and easy to see why. Kuminga, drafted No. 7 in 2021, is on his rookie deal and is eligible for an extension after this season. The Warriors have picked up his option for next season and could hold on to him all the way into his restricted free agency in 2025, but now teams will undoubtedly be calling to see if the Warriors are open to trading Kuminga (those teams would love to get him and extend him now).
The Warriors’ roster problem is fit (as noted in The Athletic): Kuminga and Wiggins are the team’s biggest and best two-way wings, but the team struggles when they are on the court together. The numbers back that up, the Warriors have a -16.4 net rating in the minutes those two have been on the court together this season. Kuminga has moved into the starting lineup because of Wiggins’ struggles this season, but Kerr is still forced to stagger the pair, trying to ride the hot hand. However, as evidenced against the Nuggets, Kerr implicitly trusts Wiggins more.
That frontcourt rotation will only get tougher when Draymond Green returns from his suspension (which may be sooner rather than later).
Wiggins is in the first year of a four-year, $109 million contract, the Warriors bet on him to help the team transition through the end of the Curry era, but his play this season has been a huge step back. It makes him hard to trade. However, trading away a young talent like Kuminga on a rookie deal is not wise, either.
One way or another, Mike Dunleavy and the Warriors front office have some hard decisions coming up, and Kuminga is in the middle of that.
