The Golden State Warriors are doing their best to turn down the Jonathan Kuminga noise.
But every time the veteran forward picks up a DNP, the head coach Steve Kerr will have to explain it to somebody.
Since he was a rookie in 2021, Kuminga played an important role for the Warriors. Even this season, he racked up 13 starts in the 18 games he played. During the Warriors' first 12 games of the season, Kuminga was in the starting five. He came off the bench for the first time on November 12, then suddenly dropped out of the rotation.
After a drama-filled summer surrounding Kuminga's restricted free agency, analysts and former players warned Golden State of what they were walking into. Before the year even tipped off, everybody knew that one or both parties would want a split by January 15.
Could there have been a way around it all? Maybe. But one thing is for sure: Kuminga turning into a reserve without a chance to hit the floor nightly, while getting paid $22.5 million, isn't going over well with anybody.
Do the Warriors Have a Jonathan Kuminga Problem?
If you ask the player-turned-analyst, Kendrick Perkins, you'll get a hard redirect on that question. There is a Jonathan Kuminga problem-but the player isn't the one to blame.
"Steve Kerr is the problem-period," Perkins said this week.
It's not just about now, it's about the future as well. The 23-year-old Kuminga should be getting his opportunity to transition into a role that serves the Warriors well beyond the Steph Curry-Draymond Green-Jimmy Butler era. Instead, Kerr is blocking him out now, which undoubtedly hurts the future.
Every prominent player for the Warriors' organization backed Kuminga's professionalism during this trying time, something that "speaks volumes," as Perkins put it.
"No basketball player and real hooper can be at his best if his mind is not in a clear space and his coach don't believe in him," said the former center.
The Warriors Need to Make a Move
The trade market doesn't seem strong for Kuminga, despite the calendar hitting the January 15 mark. The Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers are the two recent suitors with links to the veteran forward, but there are doubts in a deal from all angles.
The Warriors need to make a move. Whether it's moving on from Kuminga or convincing Kerr to utilize him. The situation can't continue to play out in this way if the Warriors truly want to focus on the main task, which is getting back to being championship contenders in the NBA.
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