After the Golden State Warriors swung a blockbuster midseason trade for frustrated six-time All-Star Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, they rocketed into fringe contender status, going 23-8 to close out the regular season and finishing the year with a 48-34 record and the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed.
Even with an early glute injury to Butler, Golden State survived the best efforts of the more athletic, bigger Houston Rockets in a hotly contested seven-game series.
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But a hamstring strain incurred by 11-time All-NBA Warriors point guard Stephen Curry in Game 1 of the Warriors’ second-round clash with the Minnesota Timberwolves, in combination with Butler suffering from the lingering effects of the glute injury, essentially killed the club’s postseason hopes.
While head coach Steve Kerr knew what he was getting (more or less) out of Curry, Butler, and nine-time All-Defensive Team power forward/center Draymond Green, the same could not be said for the rest of his team.
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The biggest question mark heading into the postseason was forward Jonathan Kuminga, who had been demoted to a bench role just before he sprained his ankle in Jan. against the Memphis Grizzlies. When he returned, he continued to play a reserve role for Golden State — until Kerr made him a healthy scratch in the Warriors’ regular season finale.
Kuminga was a healthy scratch in four of the Warriors’ seven playoff games against Houston. During a new interview on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs,” Kerr reflected on the young forward’s awkward fit with the franchise. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer.
“Obviously, he’s a natural scorer. You saw that in the Minnesota series when he got his opportunity. He scored really well. And that’s what he’s most comfortable doing,” Kerr said. “But with our team and the way we’re built, with Steph and Jimmy [Butler], they’re going to dominate the ball. [So] what we need from that spot is rebounding, passing, the connection, and yes, we need the scoring, but it has to come within the context of what we’re really good at and what we’re great at over the last two months with Jimmy and Steph.”
Against the Timberwolves, Kuminga looked like the tantalizing athlete Golden State selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. In that series, Kuminga averaged 20.8 points on .543/.421/.741 shooting splits, 3.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks. During the three games he played against Houston, Kuminga averaged just 6.0 points on .304/.333/.500 shooting splits, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 16.7 minutes per.
“You go down a path and you try to get certain habits that are built and you want them to be consistent. So in Year 4, you would hope that those things are coming. And I would say they have been inconsistent,” Kerr confessed. “I’m talking about the rebounding front, and taking care of the ball. I’ve tried to explain this to the fans and to you guys over the course of the years.”
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Kuminga’s fellow former 2021 Warriors lottery draftee, shooting guard Moses Moody, agreed to a three-year, $37.5 million deal with Golden State prior to the start of the 2024-25 season. Though Kuminga may have higher upside, his inconsistent rotation role may doom him to a similar contract as a free agent — be it from the Warriors or elsewhere.
“The way the team is built, we got two guys in Jimmy and Steph who are two of the best in the league and they’re going to have the ball in their hands. We have two guys in Steph and Draymond who are going to turn the ball over quite a bit,” Kerr said. “It’s just kind of the nature of their games. So the fit with Jonathan, and I’ve been very open with him about this as well, the fit is a little tricky when he’s a guy who needs the ball and he’s a guy who turns the ball over a lot. So you throw all that stuff together and as a coach, you just say, ‘Alright, what’s the best way for us to win? How does the puzzle fit together?'”
More Golden State Warriors News:
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Former NBA All-Star Calls Out Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr
Warriors’ Draymond Green Wins Major NBA Honor
Warriors General Manager Seemingly Hints at Plan For Jonathan Kuminga’s Future
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Alex Kirschenbaum
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