The Golden State Warriors' season came to an end at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night, 121-110.
The Warriors had tough luck in the series, especially with superstar guard Stephen Curry injuring his hamstring early on. Even with Curry out, Warriors fans had high hopes, especially after they managed to win the series-opening game without him.
Jimmy Butler had solid performances in his absence, but still left some to be desired.
Warriors front office has clear Jonathan Kuminga stance
One player who significantly stepped up in Curry's absence was Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga, who was benched down the stretch by head coach Steve Kerr, didn't get much playing time unless Curry or Butler were hurt.
But when he had the opportunity, he seized it.
In the Western Conference semifinals, he led the Warriors with 20.8 points per game, perhaps boosting his value ahead of the upcoming offseason, when he's scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
General Manager Mike Dunleavy spoke on Kuminga's fit with the Warriors going forward.
"We value JK. I think he had a resilient season by the way," Dunleavy said. "Overall, we commend him for his professionalism. I thought he was resilient."
"Despite him not playing in some playoff games, it’s very reasonable and actionable for him to come back."
It remains to be seen whether or not Kuminga is brought back next season.
While Dunleavy likely thinks highly of Kuminga, it's entirely possible he's talking up Kuminga because it would create urgency for a team that would want to be a part of a sign-and-trade for Kuminga's services.
Before his re-emergence as a scorer in this past playoff series, Kuminga's value was questionable. Now it's both in the Warriors' best interest and Kuminga's best interest to have his stock as high as possible if and when the decision for a sign-and-trade comes.