Steve Kerr‘s game-day decision to have Warriors young gun Jonathan Kuminga coming off the bench was puzzling, considering the team would be without Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins. This is not the first time Kerr has moved Kuminga to the bench. However, as it turns out, the decision might have proved to be a positive rather than a negative, temporarily, anyway, given Kuminga’s outstanding performance.
Warriors Young Gun Gets Candid On Coach’s Bench Decision
Warriors Jonathan Kuminga Opens Up On Moving to the Bench
Sans Curry and Wiggins, the Warriors miraculously managed to stand tall against the New Orleans Pelicans in a surprising double-digit, 124-106 victory at home. The surprising part here is that the shorthanded Dubs beat the Pelicans with 30-plus point outings by their two best players. Zion Williamson put up 31, while Brandon Ingram was not far behind, scoring 30 of his own. Despite the combined 61 points, the Warriors sent the Pelicans packing and improved to 3-1.
Another surprising element was Coach Kerr’s decision to move Kuminga to the bench after starting Golden State’s first three games. Kuminga followed up the demotion with an outstanding 17-point performance, which his coach praised postgame. [4:30 mark]
“I thought JK was great,” Kerr said. “We’re going to need him, obviously. He is our most athletic player. He’s got great size. There are games like tonight where we have to have him and others where maybe things aren’t going his way. That’s OK.”
Kuminga, having played a solid game, gave a candid, transparent response when asked about his coach’s decision to remove him from the starting lineup.
“It wasn’t my decision. I got a text, this is how it’s going to go, this is who it’s going to be, and I went with it,” Kuminga said. “What am I supposed to do … ask why am I not starting? This is the decision of the coach, and we will follow what he’s going to do.”
Considering the coach-player dynamic Kerr and Kuminga have shared since last year’s early-season tensions, it would be hard to blame Kuminga for reacting in disappointing fashion to being sent to the bench again, regardless of his coach’s reasoning. However, he has grown much since last season and responded accordingly by showing out against the Pelicans.
What This Means for the Progression of the Season
Kerr has not shied away from this particular roster move before. So, his roster decision was only partially surprising. The question is whether this was a temporary move that aligned with Kerr’s postgame roster and matchup explanation. Or whether Kuminga will remain on the bench for an extended time. Last season, he played better coming in as a second-unit guy until Kerr inserted him back as a starter. This time around, what followed the move was his best game of the season thus far. In terms of winning, Kuminga might serve the Warriors better if he remains where he is, at least for now.
On the other hand, contract-wise, being relegated to the bench long-term may not serve Kuminga better. The Warriors did not offer him an extension as they did Moses Moody. Kuminga is looking for that extension. This season became a prove-it type of year when an extension offer didn’t come his way. Likely, Kerr will eventually move Kuminga back up to the starting five. It’s just a matter of when. But if he continues to play as he did against the Pelicans, his production will be all the more vital to the Warriors going forward.
