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The Golden State Warriors are currently without Draymond Green due to an ankle injury. Now, they are dealing with some concerns regarding third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has filled Green's spot during the preseason.
A couple of days ago, Kuminga hit his shooting hand on the backboard and was seen wearing heavy tape around his right thumb at practice. On Thursday, ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported that the Warriors' forward continues to deal with thumb discomfort and sat out of live-action work in practice.
While he did so some individual work on the side, head coach Steve Kerr says that Kuminga is questionable for Friday's preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kuminga possibly missing some time in the preseason is the last thing the Warriors want to deal with right now, especially given that he could be in store for a massive, breakout season. The Warriors have always been high on his potential given the athletic abilities he possesses and the 2021 first-round pick enters the 2023-24 season as the clear option behind Green at the power forward position on the team's depth chart.
It's not hard to believe that Golden State will even look to utilize Kuminga at the center spot at different times in the year given his versatility and length.
Kuminga, 21, still finds himself as a work in progress and one of the youngest players on his team's roster. Featured in 67 games a season ago, he averaged 9.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor and 37 percent from three-point range.
Jonathan Kuminga's preseason
In the team's first preseason game against the Lakers, Kuminga shined. Coming off the bench and playing a total of 24 minutes, Kuminga recorded a game-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 4-of-8 from three-point range. He also finished the night with eight total rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
“I just liked his aggressiveness,” Kerr said after the team's preseason game. “I thought he shot the ball with a lot of confidence. He had eight rebounds, so he was much more active on the glass than his first couple of years playing. We want that to continue. He showed his athleticism and did a good job.”
A high-flying forward who can play both on the perimeter and in the paint, Kuminga is going to have to hold a huge role for the Warriors during the 2023-24 season if they are to get back to their title contending ways.
The one thing Golden State has always had during all of their championships runs is depth on their bench. Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala made a huge difference in 2015, 2017, and 2018, plus Jordan Poole was the X-factor off the bench during their recent run in 2022.
Kuminga has a chance to really cement his long-term role with the Warriors this season, which is why they are hoping he can get over this jammed thumb injury fairly quickly. Should he miss Friday's game against the Lakers, Kuminga's next chance to suit up in the preseason will be on Sunday, October 15 against the Sacramento Kings.
