Just a week into the new season, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has made a huge decision regarding Jonathan Kuminga. Kerr announced before the Warriors’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers that Kuminga will be a permanent starter moving forward.
In his pregame press conference, Kerr told the media that Kuminga’s performances from their first four games of the season have impressed him. He has named the fifth-year forward a permanent starter alongside Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
“He’ll be our starter going forward. He’s been fantastic. Last night we put him on Ja (Morant). Tonight, we’ll put him on James Harden. I think he’s ready,” Kerr said, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Kerr added that Kuminga’s shot selection has improved, making him a valuable asset for the Warriors as a starter. He also liked how the 23-year-old forward has developed chemistry with Butler and Green after struggling last season upon his return from a sprained ankle.
Kuminga Gave Harden Problems in Warriors’ Win Over Clippers
As mentioned by Steve Kerr in the pregame, Jonathan Kuminga was tasked with defending and slowing down James Harden in Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Kuminga did his job, limiting Harden to just 20 points and making him go 6-for-15 from the field.
The young forward also struggled with his shot, going 4-for-11 and scoring only nine points. Nevertheless, the Warriors got the job done despite the low-scoring effort from both teams in the Golden State Warriors’ 98-79 win.
Steph Curry had 19 points, eight assists and two steals, while Jimmy Butler put up 21 points, five rebounds and five assists. Brandin Podziemski had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench, with Quinten Post dropping 12 points and eight boards as the starting center.
The Warriors improved to 4-1 for the season after their win over the Clippers. They are set for a short two-game road trip, starting on October 30 against the Milwaukee Bucks and on November 1 against the Indiana Pacers.
Warriors GM Comments on Kuminga Finding His Role
In an appearance on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Warriors Pregame Live” before the Los Angeles Clippers game, Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy commented on Jonathan Kuminga growing into his role with the team.
Dunleavy admitted that one of Kuminga’s best options was a fresh start away from the Bay Area. However, the two sides were happy to “resist” it, resulting to an amazing start to the campaign for both the player and the franchise.
“There’s some bumps along the way, and I went through that. A lot of guys have gone through that. JK has seen that. Some of it has been injury-related for him, but, for the most part, he’s stuck with it. There are times where, frankly, the best thing for a young player is to get to a new situation. I think we resisted that this summer. We figured it out. Again, I think he’s gotten off to a good start, and hopefully he will thrive this season,” Dunleavy said.
Kuminga’s contract situation with the Warriors engulfed the offseason before the two sides finally agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million extension. It also contains a team option for the second season.
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