When the Golden State Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, it set off a storm of discussion around the league. Many questioned Steve Kerr's ability to develop young players. Now, Kerr is firing back at fans who are critical of the Warriors' youth development, according to a post by 95. The Game.
"Any frustration from our fans is probably coming from this idea that young players should get it right away. It just doesn't work that way."
– Steve Kerr addressed the opinion some fans have that he "doesn't develop young players" (via @WillardAndDibs). pic.twitter.com/5Ch2uReWbb
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 5, 2026
Kerr emphasized that there is a process involved in youth development. Moreover, he indicated that it's more complex than giving them all the minutes.
The Warriors are also still technically contending, sitting at 31-30 and eighth place in the Western Conference. But recent games have illustrated that this season is starting to get away from them.
Things started to spiral for the team when Jimmy Butler sustained a season-ending injury. Then, Stephen Curry suffered a knee injury, which has kept him out since January 30. The Warriors officially traded Kuminga, ending an experiment that seemed promising at one point but floundered over time.
After winning four titles over the past decade, the Warriors hoped to keep building their roster while keeping Curry, Butler, Draymond Green, and any other veterans who could help them. But after drafting Kuminga in 2021, they were not able to develop him into the star that Curry and Butler are.
Kuminga never averaged more than 16.1 points with the Warriors. In three games with the Hawks, he is averaging 21.3 points per game. Brandin Podziemski has been a solid role player, but even he is not developing as fast, averaging 12.4 points per game while shooting 44.7% from the floor, including 36.2% from the triples. Meanwhile, Moses Moody has dealt with injuries while averaging 11.9 points per game.
Assuming Curry returns, he will once again be the main focus as the Warriors attempt to make a late-season run. But the Warriors' youth development has not gone according to plan, and Kerr may be tired of hearing about it.
