Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga may have one more chance to showcase his talent prior to next week’s trade deadline. Sidelined for the past week by a hyperextended knee and bone bruise that he sustained in a showdown with the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 22, “the hope, and assumption” is that 23-year-old is “good to go” against the Philadelphia 76ers next Tuesday, per NBC Sports Bay Area insider Dalton Johnson.
With his trade request lingering in the air and the Warriors’ desire to land Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, he and The Bay Ballers’ future could very well hinge on that matchup.
Warriors’ Future Could Hinge On Jonathan Kuminga’s Trade Deadline Showcase
Earlier this month, Kuminga approached upper management with a trade request after a string of DNP-CD’s (Do Not Play – Coach’s Decision). Fed up with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s decisions about his playing time, he decided to put his destiny in his own hands. With that in mind, the notion of there being a schism between Kuminga and Kerr wasn’t new. Indeed, it became such a distraction in the 2023-24 season that both parties were peppered with questions about their relationship. Kerr’s decision to go away from Kuminga last season only added salt to the wound.
Ironically, Kerr’s reason for Kuminga’s declining role was his concern about the spacing between he and Draymond Green. To his point, though the former is certainly more capable of getting the ball in the basket, he and Green have both shot under 34 percent from 3 in their respective careers. However, when the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler III, Kerr constanty offered glowing praise of the six-time All-Star. Decoration and defense aside, Butler is a career 33.0% shooter, the same as Kuminga.
Contrarily, he doubled-down on his rationale for limiting Kuminga’s role. The spacing concerns were too overwhelming with Butler now in the mix. The numbers didn’t necessarily support this though.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Fit, By The Numbers
Last season, the five-man lineup of Kuminga, Green, Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II and Stephen Curry outscored opponents by +19.5 points per 100 possessions. The three-man unit of Kuminga-Green-Curry outpaced opponents by +9.2 points per 100 possessions. This season, the five-man lineup of Kuminga, Butler, Green, Curry, and Quinten Post outscored opponents by +20.6 points per 100 possessions. The three-man unit of Kuminga-Green-Butler outpaced opponents by +10.2 points per 100 possessions.
Kerr is definitely dogmatic about the 3-ball and floor spacing. Nevertheless, he has access to the same lineup data. Because of this, it’s difficult to believe the issue he has with Kuminga is primarily about his 3-point shooting. It also lends itself to the idea that the Warriors could excel with Antetokounmpo despite their preferred style. At the end of the day, pairing Curry with a player who has elite interior gravity can bend the defenses to a breaking point. Factor in Antetokounmpo’s all-world defense and he’s a player that can lift them at both ends.
How Does He Fit With The Bucks?
Who knows who’s going to be coaching the Bucks by the end of the season.
Whether Antetokounmpo is traded or not, they’ve still been underachieving under heralded head coach Doc Rivers. Just the other day, former Bucks forward Jae Crowder even went as far as to say Milwaukee’s decision to hire Rivers was what sent them off-course. After all, they did fire former head coach Adrian Griffin to hire Rivers when they were 30-13.
If Rivers is still Milwaukee’s head coach, Kuminga should feel more comfortable in their offense. Though the Bucks are an elite 3-point shooting team this season, they rank only 15th in 3-point attempts. In a general sense, though Rivers recognizes the obvious benefits of spacing, he doesn’t over-emphasize the 3-ball. However, Rivers would prefer to coach an offense with more movement and less isolation. With that in mind, tunnel vision is Kuminga’s greatest offensive weakness.
Of course, if they trade Antetokounmpo, Kuminga’s flaws may not matter too much. What they would need then, in order to keep the wheel turning, is an explosive ball-handler who could do damage with a head of steam. This is Kuminga’s greatest strength and the most rational reason to be interested in what he could provide immediately. From a long-term perspective, Kuminga has played five seasons but is young enough to be in the league for at least another decade. For a player who’s already displayed star potential, that should classify him as a blue-chip prospect.
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