Jonathan Kuminga's ‘fire' vs. Trail Blazers trends toward rotation stability originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If the Warriors are to become a force in the Western Conference, they’re going to need Jonathan Kuminga. For at least as long as he’s on the roster.
Coach Steve Kerr, whose relationship with Kuminga has been a topic of debate for at least two years, has accepted that. The Warriors, the second-oldest team in the NBA, need Kuminga’s athleticism, his youthful vitality and his ability to create offense in isolation. The more he shines, the more they shine.
That’s how, in three months, we’ve gone from the Warriors and Kuminga each exploring outside options toward a divorce to Kerr raving about the 23-year-old forward and even approving of the explosive conduct that led to Kuminga’s ejection Tuesday night in a 118-111 preseason victory over the Trail Blazers.
“I love the way he played,” Kerr told reporters at Moda Center in Portland. “I love the fire, the passion. I don’t mind the objection at all; I kind of liked it, actually.
“I thought JK was terrific tonight.”
Prior to being ejected with .9 seconds left in the first half for belligerence in the face of referee Rodney Mott, Kuminga was doing a nice job of following the script the Warriors handed him as a rookie. He was running with velocity, rebounding with force, making smart and timely passes and generally providing the kind of offense no one else on the roster can deliver.
And while Kuminga has adventured into some missteps through four preseason games – with two starts, including Tuesday – there has been enough constructive hoops to encourage the Warriors and a fan base semi-divided over his merits.
He’s shooting 11-of-21 from the field, 3-of-9 from deep. Small sample size, but respectable enough. Where Kuminga is showing considerable advancement is with rebounding and passing. His 17 rebounds rank second on the team, behind only Trayce Jackson-Davis, and his 16 assists rank second on the team, behind only Brandin Podziemski.
To put a finer point on it, JK is flipping dimes at a slightly higher rate than Draymond Green and a much higher rate than Stephen Curry. His 17 rebounds have come in 74 minutes. Quinten Post, a 7-foot center, has 14 rebounds in 79 minutes.
Numbers like that might persuade Kerr to shrug off the brief tantrum that prompted the ejection.
“He kind of got right in Rodney’s face,” Kerr said. “You can’t do that. They’re going to eject you if you do that.
“But, like I said, I like the fire, and I like the energy that he played with. The emotion. I think JK’s having an excellent camp and I’m excited about how he looks.”
That’s the JK the Warriors have been seeking. The JK who inspires concern in opponents They can live with some of the ill-conceived turnovers if the other parts of his game are flourishing. Their roster is light on athleticism, and he’s the most athletic player. Their roster is heavy on high-IQ vets with tremendous aptitude for the game. He’s still on the learning curve but can offer lightning-bolt activity they can’t.
It’s profoundly evident that Kerr and his staff are trying to find the right balance of experience and youth to succeed. With four players – Jimmy Butler III, Al Horford, Curry and Green – age 35 or older, there will be considerable load management in the 82-game regular season. It’s essential that the veterans be competently supported by the 25-and-under group. That means, above all, Brandin Podziemski (22), Moses Moody (23) and Kuminga.
Kerr believes in Podziemski, so he’s assured to get meaningful minutes. Putting Moody in the starting lineup late last season yielded positive results and could happen again.
Kuminga, however, has been the wild card. In the lineup some nights, in and out of the rotation on a regular basis.
“He got fouled,” Kerr said, again referring to the ejection. “It was a frustration play. I have no problem with it. He deserved the foul (being called). He was getting fouled quite a bit. It was a physical game.
“But the way he ran on that play, the activity that he played with, the rebounding – he had six boards in one half, 17 minutes – that’s the JK who can really help our team.”
Kuminga is trending toward stability. Toward trustworthiness. The Warriors could use that, as could a few other teams. Whether they trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline for someone who is a “better fit” or consider him too valuable to move, they win.
