Steve Kerr, Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors, Atlanta Hawks
Getty
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shakes hands with Jonathan Kuminga #00 during a time of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first half at Chase Center on March 20, 2024 in San Francisco, California.
Congolese forward Jonathan Kuminga’s exploits with the Atlanta Hawks haven’t done any favors for Steve Kerr, as many analysts have questioned the Golden State Warriors head coach’s ability to develop and unlock young talents.
Kerr addressed that criticism on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” show this week.
“Tell me the profession where the guy with the highest test scores at Stanford can go and be a CEO or be a partner in a firm or something,” Kerr said of youngsters like Kuminga and others taking time to develop into quality NBA players.
“Life doesn’t work that way. So, when I think about any frustration from our fans, it’s probably just coming from this idea that young players should get it right away. It just doesn’t work that way.”
95.7 The Game
“Any frustration from our fans is probably coming from this idea that young players should get it right away. It just doesn’t work that way.”
– Steve Kerr addressed the opinion some fans have that he “doesn’t develop young players” (via @WillardAndDibs).
Steve Kerr Defends Warriors Strategy
At the start of the new decade, the Warriors began their infamous “two timeline” strategy that saw them try to develop young players like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski, while also trying to help veterans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green hang a few more championships.
The strategy worked like a charm in 2022, when the Warriors won the last of their four titles in the Kerr era. Since then, however, the plan has seemingly backfired, with Golden State upending the roster and recruiting a bunch of late-30-year-olds to play alongside Curry and Green. As a result, the likes of Kuminga became expendable.
“I think part of the frustration of our fans probably stems from the fact that we have the three lottery picks coming at a time when we were winning a championship, and it’s just hard to play 19-year-olds on championship teams,” Kerr admitted.
“The development that comes is going to be different than it would come on a team that’s in the lottery, where you just put a guy out there for 35 minutes and let him make his mistakes. I think that’s probably where some of the frustration comes.”
Warriors High on Moody, Podz
All that said, Kerr is pleased with the development of Moody, Podz, and Gui Santos, and feels all three players will play a key role in the post-Curry era.
“You see how it can work, too,” Kerr said of Warriors developing youngsters.
“You see Moses Moody, you see his development over time, you see Gui Santos, I think Brandin [Podziemski] is really coming into his own and playing well. But it takes time.”
Further to Kerr’s point, both Moody and Podz are in the middle of career-best seasons. While Moody is averaging 11.9 points and 3.3 rebounds, while draining 2.5 threes at 40% from the floor, Podziemski is tallying 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists from 27.4 minutes. Although both have established themselves as key role players, neither is expected to take an All-Star leap to carry the Warriors in the post-Curry era.
Meanwhile, Kuminga is averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals on 68/56/77 shooting splits through his first three games in Atlanta. Many analysts like his long-term fit with a Hawks team that thrives in transition, a style that suits Kuminga.