The Golden State Warriors will again be without forward Jonathan Kuminga when they face the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night, as the fifth-year forward continues to manage a knee issue.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, imaging revealed bilateral knee tendinitis, confirming that “the absence should be relatively short-term,” but that the Warriors want to monitor the soreness Kuminga has experienced in recent games closely.
Kuminga exited Wednesday’s 125–120 win over the Spurs after logging just 12 minutes off the bench—his first non-start of the season.
Kuminga’s Bench Move Follows Sharp Decline in Production
The injury comes at a pivotal moment for Kuminga, who moved to the bench after beginning the season in strong form. Kuminga averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 45% from three over his first six games. In his last seven, however, the 21-year-old has averaged just 10.6 points on 17.6% shooting from deep, coinciding with a sharp drop in playing time—from 30.8 minutes through his first six outings to 23.7 minutes over his last five.
His struggles continued Wednesday, when he posted a -10 plus/minus, the second-worst mark on the Warriors’ roster.
Steve Kerr Shakes Up Starting Five to Restore Rhythm
Getty Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors speaks with head coach Steve Kerr.
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said the decision to bench Kuminga was not punitive, but part of a broader reset following a rocky 1–3 stretch that included a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It’s very clear that we’ve been a little clunky recently,” Kerr told reporters before Wednesday’s game. “There are times when it’s obvious you’ve got to make some changes.”
Kerr elevated rookie Will Richard and fifth-year wing Moses Moody into the starting lineup, pairing them with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. Slater noted that Kerr prefers “extra shooting around Butler” and views Richard as a “ballmover that helps offense flow around Curry and Draymond.”
The move paid immediate dividends. Moody delivered his best performance of the season, scoring 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep. Richard added three points and steady off-ball movement in 22 minutes.
Warriors Commit to New Starting Unit Moving Forward
Kerr confirmed after the game that Wednesday’s lineup will continue “moving forward,” meaning Kuminga will remain in a bench role even after returning from injury.
“[Wednesday night’s] starting lineup was built with the idea of finding our rhythm, getting back in sync, getting back to our identity,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game’s Willard and Dibs. “I’ve always felt Steph and Draymond need passing and cutting around them, and Jimmy needs shooting around him.”
Kuminga has averaged 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season on 47.8% shooting. Still, Kerr acknowledged that the young forward’s off-ball movement and stationary playmaking do not fit the specific lineup needs at this moment.
“Going forward does not mean forever,” Kerr added. “It just means going forward.”
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