Golden State Warriors fourth-year wing Jonathan Kuminga has turned Steve Kerr into a believer.
Finally.
Kerr couldn’t stop talking about Kuminga after the rising forward powered the Warriors’ 109-105 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, December 29, on the second night of a back-to-back schedule.
“I just think he’s turning a corner,” Kerr told reporters after Kuminga made important plays down the stretch. “I just think he’s seeing the picture well.”
Kuminga matched his career-high in scoring with 34 points in consecutive nights. He canned two pressure-packed free throws with 29 seconds left that gave the Warriors a one-point lead. But what stood out to Kerr was one particular play where Kuminga did not score but made the right play that showed him growth from his young forward.
“He made a play late in the game where he swung the ball to Draymond [Green], immediately pinned in for Steph [Curry] and Steph got a three. He didn’t make it, but that’s the play where you have to recognize Steph as your teammate. You see, he’s cutting through the lane. Swing the ball, and go set a screen for him.”
Combine that maturity with his downhill attacks, which led to 6.6 free throw attempts this December, Kerr believes Kuminga is ready to impact winning.
“Now the mix, the blend of Steph, Draymond, JK, now it starts to really get powerful,” Kerr continued. “I’m just so impressed with JK. … This is exactly what we’re looking for, and it’s fun to see him deliver.”
Jonathan Kuminga Playing Starter Minutes Off the Bench
While Kuminga continues to come off the bench, Kerr has trusted him with starter minutes and played him in closing lineups with Green at center.
Kuminga played 37 minutes the other night against the Los Angeles Clippers and 34 minutes against the Suns. He delivered big time in both games with a pair of 34-point outings on 11-of-19 and 12-of-20 shooting performances. He also grabbed 19 boards and issued eight assists in those two coming-out-party performances.
Kerr also praised Kuminga for his defensive effort against Kevin Durant, who scored 31 points but was held to 41.7% shooting night.
In the past, Kerr held Kuminga back despite flashing his potential when he got the opportunity. He’s now more open to unleashing him with the strides he made.
“This feels different to me,” Kerr told reporters. “It really does. There’s just a different force to his game. Last night, you saw all the times he ran the floor, ran through the catch and attacked the rim. Nine rebounds tonight. The timely plays he made.
“It just feels different. It feels like he’s figuring out how to impact winning, which is obviously the main thing.”
Jonathan Kuminga Acknowledges Steve Kerr’s Role in His Rise
Kuminga feels his rise is the natural process of his progression as an NBA player. But he also gave credit where it was due.
“Everybody in the organization has been a big part of it, helping me throughout every situation,” Kuminga told reporters. “Including my coaches, including Steve, including my teammates.
Kuminga feels he’s been playing the same way since the season started. It only gets noticed when he produces big numbers.
“I feel like it’s being like that all season like I always say before, if you play great, they always look at that, but they don’t see it when you just play normal,” Kuminga added. “You try to win, but I just feel like I’ve just been trying to win. That’s all.”
Kuminga’s play and its impact between winning and losing could dictate the Warriors’ next big move between now and the February 6 trade deadline.
