Jonathan Kuminga stayed out of the Golden State Warriors' rotation. The last he suited up for the franchise was on December 18, against the Phoenix Suns. The forward is not injured, yet he continues to sit on the bench, not earning minutes under coach Steve Kerr's system.
Big problem for Jonathan Kuminga
Amid the fiasco in Golden State, Kuminga has openly asked to be traded on Thursday, On Friday's edition of "Game Over with Rich Paul and Max Kellerman," LeBron James' agent had a harsh truth regarding the Warriors player.
Paul said that if Kuminga plays similarly to his teammate Draymond Green, he would have had the opportunity to shine under Kerr's system. Green may not be the most dependable shooter, but many understand that he is the engine of the system.
However, Jonathan Kuminga is not that kind of a player. He depends on his athleticism and can make shots from beyond the arc.
“I think a player of that caliber has an ability to play on most teams because of his talent,” Kuminga said. “When you’re on a specific team you have to dive into that team’s style of play and how it fits, how the coach wants to play… I imagine that given where things seem to be, maybe it’s just not a fit there. Obviously, he could play anywhere else.”
Jonathan Kuminga's relationship with Steve Kerr is broken
The end is very close for Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors. After he asked for a trade on Thursday, ESPN's Shams Charania disclosed that Kuminga's relationship with Steve Kerr has been broken.
“The Jonathan Kuminga-Golden State Warriors relationship is fractured. It is non-existent,” Charania said. “Especially the relationship between Steve Kerr and and Kuminga. It’s been described to me as fractured beyond repair. Completely deteriorated.
Charania also claimed that everyone with the Warriors knows that Kuminga wants to move on from the organization. Tensions rose several weeks ago when the forward was left out from the rotation. The ESPN reporter claimed that the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks are the two teams that have mutual interest in Kuminga.
Following the 126-113 win against the New York Knicks on Thursday, Kerr discussed the rumors regarding the NBA forward. According to the coach, Kuminga's situation won't be a distraction to the rest of the team.
He also spoke highly of his relationship with the disgruntled player.
“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said. “There’s not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. Just is what it is, a difficult situation for everybody. Part of this league, part of the job. So we just keep moving forward, but tough situation. I don’t really have much to add.”
Fans are waiting for Kuminga's next career move.