San Francisco, CA – Jonathan Kuminga was the Golden State Warriors' no. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Since Draymond Green is still out due to a back injury that's bothering his calf, the rookie has been getting meaningful minutes.
Kuminga was once again tapped to start against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, and judging coach Steve Kerr's recent comments, it looks like the athletic youngster will be getting more burn time with the Warriors.
“He's played really well, and with Draymond out, it feels like a good time to play JK with Steph, Klay, and Loon. He's a natural kind of big wing, slash small four, or small five. You can throw him anywhere defensively. He's capable of guarding any of those spots. So, we really want to see what he looks like in that starting group. Then when Draymond gets back, we'll see what he looks like with Draymond and that group,” Kerr told ClutchPoints.
Steve Kerr's reason for starting Jonathan Kuminga.
"He's played really well, and with Draymond out, it feels like a good time to play JK with Steph, Klay, and Loon…Then when Draymond gets back, we'll see what he looks like with Draymond and that group."
— Mark Haynes (@markhaynesnba) January 19, 2022
In their last two games, Kuminga has scored 25 and 19 points while shooting above 50% from the field. While Kerr's revelations don't mean the first-year forward is on his way to being a permanent starter, he could be on his way to being considered to close out games for the Warriors.
The Warriors want Kuminga to continue to figure out how to get himself easy buckets by running the floor. If he can consistently do that and play at an elite defensive level, he can be a huge reason for the Warriors' sustained success this season.
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Kuminga had a slow start to his NBA career, but the entire league is now seeing what he can do when given enough opportunities on the floor.
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