Stephen Curry’s injury has completely altered the trajectory of the Golden State Warriors’ season.
Without their franchise cornerstone, the team hasn’t looked the same.
In an effort to find some rhythm in Curry’s absence, head coach Steve Kerr turned to players like Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis to help generate offense.
Both saw increased roles earlier in the 2024-25 NBA season, but those opportunities faded as the year progressed.
Kuminga, in particular, showed flashes of stardom before suffering an untimely injury. By the time he returned, the Warriors had already brought in Jimmy Butler.
As a result, Kuminga’s role diminished significantly after a promising start, and when he did see the floor, his impact was minimal.
Frustration has been growing among Warriors fans, who are weary of the ongoing inconsistency from both the team and Kuminga. Many now expect he could be on his way out this offseason.
Kerr’s decision to bench Kuminga wasn’t without cause, and a recent report may offer insight into what led to that move.
Kerr’s issue with Kuminga revealed
According to The Ringer’s Logan Murdock, Steve Kerr became frustrated with Jonathan Kuminga after the young forward started ignoring Stephen Curry on the court, opting to create his own shots instead of deferring to the team’s star player.
“Despite his talent, Kuminga’s propensity to look for his shot at the expense of the flow of Golden State’s offense has irked the coaching staff,” Murdock said. “During a late-season game against the Blazers, team sources say Kerr was incensed after several instances in which Kuminga looked off Curry to create his own offense.
“Kuminga subsequently received DNPs in the Warriors’ regular-season finale against the Clippers and then again in their play-in matchup against the Grizzlies.
“By the start of the playoffs, many within the organization wondered whether Kuminga, who is eligible for an extension, had played his last game as a Warrior.”
A departure seems imminent for the former lottery pick, especially as the Warriors look to construct a championship-contending roster around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler next season — a move that now appears all but certain.
