As Jonathan Kuminga‘s playtime has seen certain limitations in the past couple of weeks, reports emerged that the rising star had lost faith in his head coach Steve Kerr. These rumors have been part of an ongoing theme in the forward’s young career, as now both fans and experts wonder if he really has a place in the Warriors roster.
As the trade deadline is drawing closer, the speculation has only risen, as reports place Pascal Siakam in Golden State and suggest that Kuminga might be headed out. Insider Michael Grange shared the news about the potential trade with the Raptors star.
“Still, according to multiple sources, the Warriors are loathe to trade Kuminga, who is seen as a potential star who can help them win now and in the future, the rare piece on the roster who can help Golden State both support Steph Curry in the present and transition to a successful post-Curry future, should it ever come.
Kuminga doesn’t believe Kerr “will allow him to reach his full potential,” per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/xiL2ddp9lP
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 5, 2024
“And a not insignificant detail is that Kuminga is said to have a very close relationship with Warriors owner Joe Lacob who has historically been reluctant to part with any of the young talent that represents the Warriors’ so-called ‘two-timelines’ strategy of meshing a group of young draftees with their established championship core,” he wrote.
Some weeks ago, Jonathan wasn’t taken in consideration during the final 18 minutes of his team’s loss against the Denver Nuggets. According to reporter Shams Charania, that episode “was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
The 21-year-old has also been outspoken about his frustrations, but understands he has a role in the Bay Area squad.
“Sometimes, I come out the game not knowing what I did,” the youngster said after losing on Christmas Day. “And that messes with my head. It’s like, ‘What they want me to do?’ I can pass and I can do different s—.”
Kerr revealed that he’s met with Kuminga and that Golden State still see him as a future star
Before the team’s latest NBA contest, Steve Kerr addressed the situation with Jonathan and revealed they both met to talk about the player’s future. The Warriors coach made sure everyone knew that the Bay Area team still see him as a future star and wish to unlock his potential.
“We talked,” Kerr shared. “Obviously those things are better discussed behind the scenes. Any time something like that goes public it creates a distraction. It’s important for all of our guys — and I talked to our whole team about it — you got an issue? I’m here. I am the most accesible coach in the league probably. My door is always open.
“It’s a difficult situation because every player naturally has his own goals, his own dreams. Everybody wants to flourish, everybody wants to blossom. We have a lot of guys who are capable of playing and I have very difficult decisions to make each and every night. [Kuminga] is a young player, he’s growing, he’s getting better, that’s why he’s been in the starting lineup. He will continue to grow and this is all part of his growth,” he concluded.
The third-year forward has been playing the best basketball of his career so far this campaign, and even replaced Andrew Wiggins in the starting lineup. Nevertheless, it is important to note that both players have very different skillsets that can be used depending on the context.
