According to Juan Toscano-Anderson, Kuminga has a lofty vision for himself and in his NBA career upon joining the Warriors in 2021.
The last 4 ½ seasons have been filled with ups and downs for Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors. At first, the Dubs held high hopes that the Congolese star would be their franchise centerpiece in the post-Stephen Curry era. Yet in the end, the relationship between both sides turned sour, leading to last Thursday's trade deadline split at long last.
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Although he shared the court with Kuminga for just one season, Juan Toscano-Anderson is fully mindful of the young forward's lofty expectations for his career and direction since entering the NBA as the seventh pick of the 2021 Draft.
"What I do love and respect about Jonathan is that he's a superstar in his own right. In his mind, he's a superstar," the Mexican veteran shared in the Basketball Network podcast. "That's what he wants. He wants to be a max contract player. He wants to be a number one or a number two option. And I respect that because playing in the NBA and seeing it first-hand, you have to have that mindset to be a superstar.
"You cannot be a superstar if you don't have that mindset. If you miss five shots, you have to have the courage and the confidence to take shot number six. That is what a superstar is. And that's what Jonathan Kuminga is. And so that doesn't really pair well with a guy like Steph Curry because for a shooter like Steph Curry to make seven threes in a row, you have to pass him the ball seven times."
The latest ESPN report uncovered Kuminga's frustration during his time in the Bay Area. Specifically, he became disgruntled with Steve Kerr and how his growth turned stagnant for years.
Kuminga endured DNPs all season long from Kerr and sought new beginnings. After the Warriors obtained Kristaps Porzingis, Kuminga is now with the Atlanta Hawks along with Buddy Hield.
"As for Jonathan and Steve, again, I don’t know. I’m not in those rooms," Toscano-Anderson said. "What I do know is Jonathan’s an incredible kid. He’s a hard worker and a great teammate. Steve gave me a chance, instilled a lot of confidence in me, and trusted me.
"I have nothing bad to say about either side. I just think it’s natural. It happens everywhere in the NBA. You see it across the board. Going back to the first thing I said, this business is all about fit. It’s all about timing. It’s a chemistry project."
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