Questions surrounding Jonathan Kuminga’s role with the Golden State Warriors intensified this week after Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas openly questioned why the organization’s players have not been more vocal in supporting the young forward.
Speaking on the latest episode of FanDuel’s Run It Back, Thomas expressed confusion over the lack of visible backing for Kuminga amid fluctuating minutes, injury uncertainty and growing trade speculation.
“I think when the best player — and I can only speak for myself — when you have power you have to use your power to help your teammates,” Thomas said. “You have to use your power to help the team get better. And this is the question that I think all of us are asking right now. Okay, do the players think that he can help them win? Because right now the coach is saying this guy can’t help us.”
Thomas suggested that if players disagree with the current handling of Kuminga, they should be more outspoken.
“Now if the players are probably all aligned with it, and if they’re not aligned with it, then they need to be vocal in support of their players,” he said.
Thomas, a former president of the NBA Players Association, framed the situation as a broader player-advocacy issue.
“I’m always for the players,” Thomas added. “I’m always sticking up for the player and if the player is right and the coach is wrong, I’m calling it out. I’m not one to sit there and just be silent. And you know, when you say we’re giving Kuminga credit for being classy and professional, has being classy and professional hurt his basketball career?”
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Isiah Thomas weighs in on Jonathan Kuminga’s situation with Warriors
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) walks off the court after being removed from the game during the fourth quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Kuminga’s situation has drawn increasing attention over the past several weeks. The 23-year-old forward has seen his role fluctuate, at times falling out of Steve Kerr’s nightly rotation altogether. He has also been linked to trade rumors as Golden State evaluates its roster flexibility ahead of the deadline.
The uncertainty deepened recently when Kuminga was held out of a game he was expected to play heavy minutes in, later being listed as questionable with lower back soreness. After that contest, Kerr offered little clarity on the injury, saying it occurred “just before the game” and adding that he did not know whether it could linger. The ambiguity only added to speculation about Kuminga’s standing within the organization.
Despite the off-court questions, Golden State has continued to grind through the regular season. The Warriors improved to 20–18 following a 120–113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night and remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.
Golden State will continue its eight-game homestand Friday night against the Sacramento Kings, who enter on a six-game losing streak. While the Warriors focus on maintaining momentum, Thomas’ comments underscored a growing league-wide debate: whether Kuminga’s development has been stalled not by ability, but by circumstance — and whether stronger internal support could change that trajectory.