Everyone knew entering this season with one of the oldest teams in the NBA, the margin for error for the Golden State Warriors' championship aspirations would be thin.
There was never a debate about the infrastructure of a contending team; even in the twilight of their careers, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green remain capable of competing at a high level. But there were questions about how to get them to the postseason intact and healthy. There remain questions about how the players around them can maximize their skillsets and vice versa.
And while it was only one game, Jonathan Kuminga looked like he could rise to become the answer to those problems after his performance in Golden State's 119-109 season opener win over the Los Angeles Lakers on the road. The 23-year-old wing finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 6-of-11 FGs and four made 3-pointers.
He looked comfortable running the floor, finding other players, and battling on the boards, all while guarding Luka Doncic as the primary defender. Kuminga came up clutch with a key offensive rebound that set up Curry with a dagger 35-foot 3-pointer, which Green described as one of the plays of the game.
“That rebound is what everyone in the world has been waiting to see,” Green said. “You got that athleticism, you go make big plays like that. You got superstar potential, you go make big plays. Those are game-winning plays… And so, we can all ask for opportunity– when you ask for opportunity, you must deliver. I think he's been very vocal about his opportunity, and he delivered.”
Why things are clicking for Jonathan Kuminga right now
It's no secret that Kuminga and Golden State's time together has been tenuous. With his size, youth, athleticism, and raw talent, Kuminga has been this tantalizing variable who's shown flashes of high upside. But he and the Warriors have struggled to maximize that talent due to a misalignment between what he wants to be and what Steve Kerr and the coaching staff want him to be.
Kuminga has sought more opportunities and more responsibilities befitting of a star, while Kerr has emphasized he needs to do the ancillary things that contribute to winning, like rebounding and defending at a high level. It's why his contract negotiations were so heated before he eventually signed a two-year extension with a team option in a “prove-it” kind of deal. It's why things have been contentious at times, like when Kuminga demanded a trade midway through the 2023-2024 season.
However, all of that drama, so to speak, seems to have dissipated since Kuminga signed his extension. He looked sharp and bought into the Warriors' game plan all the preseason. And it translated in his play versus Los Angeles. After the game, Kerr talked about what's got Kuminga into a solid rhythm early.
“I think he's really really matured,” Kerr said. “He's had a great camp. We've had some really good conversations. I think he has a better understanding of what we need. You saw in the first half, he took a couple of tough mid-range fadeaways that we don't want. He immediately held up his hand; he realized that was not the shot.”
Kerr shared how the adjustment at halftime was to get Kuminga more involved with Curry, which helped him find his rhythm. He also cited Butler's guidance throughout training camp, helping Kuminga a lot after practice. But ultimately, Kerr contextualized Kuminga's youth in relation to what's been asked of him.
“With Jonathan, you got to remember he just turned 23… he came to us basically as a freshman in college. That's how I looked at it and a lot of players today just don't get the same experience and reps they got years ago. And for him, it hasn't been easy to find minutes on our team. I'm really proud of him for staying with it and really maturing. It's a great start for him and us.”
How Kuminga changes Golden State's ceiling
While it's so early into the season, Kuminga's performance showed a lot of potential for what Golden State can be moving forward. As Kerr pointed out, Kuminga's play next to Curry will be key moving forward. With him as a screener, or even No. 30 as a screener, Curry's gravity should get him easy opportunities. He looked calm and collected, making the right play as the outlet when two players jumped at Curry.
Kuminga's jumper also looked new and improved as he buried some threes that he missed last season. Spacing is ever important in the Kerr offense, and when Kuminga's shot's on target, it changes the kind of lineups Golden State can roll out.
And defensively, it's always nice to have a player who can defend on-ball 94 feet. With Moses Moody out, he was tasked with chasing Doncic the majority of the game. While Kuminga did not shut down the Lakers' star, he made Doncic work.
“He's guarding Luka all night,” Green said. “We didn't have to commit two guys. So [Doncic] get's 43, which I always tell these guys, you're not stopping a great scorer. That's not the way the league is set up for you to stop a great scorer. But you do make it tough on them. And I think all night he made it tough on him, body on body all day.”
It's Kuminga's two-way potential that makes him so exciting. It's a guy who does the dirty work so veterans don't have to, and prevent the wear and tear.
“JK was all over [Doncic] but then he stayed so patient offensively,” Green continued.
“It wasn't going well offensively early, and he just stayed patient. And he stayed patient, and the game just flipped in his direction. And so, it was about the rebound, but the overall of what we've seen since he showed up to camp, the force he's playing with, the force he's running with, the passes he's making, the drop off to Al [Horford] was crazy. He couldn't make that play two years ago. He was incredible tonight, and I want to make sure he knows that.”
