Jonathan Kuminga has been the topic of many trade rumors for a while now. The seventh pick of the 2021 Draft struggled to find his place in the Warriors roster as Steve Kerr split hairs to fit the athletic forward into his motion-heavy, three-point-focused offense.
While the possibility of Kuminga being shipped off for a more suitable role player is still on the cards, it’s also hard to deny that the 22-year-old is playing out of his mind. His last five games not only saw his stock as a trade piece skyrocket; Kuminga is also helping the Dubs win more games.
Golden State fans badly need Kuminga’s contributions for the team to succeed since he’s one of the team’s few bright spots in what has been a disappointing season. He’s been playing so well recently that even Steve Kerr had to fess up about Kuminga’s improvement over the season.
Steve Kerr is impressed with Jonathan Kuminga’s play for the Warriors
Kerr wasn’t shy with showering his young forward with praise when asked about his most recent performances.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Logan Struck:
“This was the fifth straight great game [from Kuminga],” Kerr said. “Jonathan [Kuminga] is continuing to break through and understand exactly what role we need from him. He was brilliant again today.”
Kuminga was instrumental for the Dubs’ victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on January 2. While he started from the bench, he finished the game with an impressive 20 points, five boards, five assists, and one steal while shooting 73% on 25 minutes of action.
The former G League Ignite standout has been steller for the Warriors over the last five games, making at least 40% of his shots while also making at least five boards and one defensive stop. He’s slowly but surely becoming the cog Golden State badly needed when they drafted him with a high pick in 2021.
Of course, things can still change at the drop of the hat. Kuminga might still get shipped off if the front office feels they can’t do anything about his contract situation. However, fans will be expecting him to stay with the team if he keeps his production for the remainder of the season.
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