In what might be their last true shot at winning a title with this core, the last few weeks have been tough on the Golden State Warriors. But while the futures of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green all appear to be safe, Jonathan Kuminga trade rumors have begun to recirculate after his recent struggles.
Writing for BlueManHoop.com, Nick San Miguel urged the Warriors to trade Kuminga, an option that has been on the table since he signed his long-awaited extension with the team late in the offseason.
“Coming into this season, the fate of Jonathan Kuminga was a key storyline to watch for the Golden State Warriors,” he wrote before then hinting at a Kuming trade being the right move. “After he was recently benched by head coach Steve Kerr, it seems the franchise now has a clear decision when it comes to their young forward.”
The 23-year-old began the season in head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup, but after a strong first few games, he has cooled off significantly. In 13 appearances, Kuminga is averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 47.8% shooting, but San Miguel believes it is time for him to move on, specifically after some recent quotes from the team.
Warriors Urged To Make Jonathan Kuminga Trade
The most obvious reason for Golden State sending Kuminga out would be his latest performances. Though the forward has been dealing with an injury, he has put up only 24 points across his last four games, a mark he already hit in single games twice earlier in the season. He is shooting 10/29 in this latest span with nine turnovers, with a significant drop in minutes.
Along with poor performances, San Miguel also cited a recent report taking quotes from both Green and Butler, which he believes were referring to Kuminga and his lack of buy-in to the team.
“I think everyone has a personal agenda in this league,” Green said after a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the back of the recent internal strife. “But you have to make those personal agendas work within the team confines. If it doesn’t work, you kind of got to get rid of your agenda or eventually the agenda is the cause of someone getting rid of you.”
“Myself, I can’t have turnovers,” Butler said after a recent loss, then referring to Kuminga, who is currently second on the team in turnovers. “JK can’t have turnovers…We’re the ones that have to keep our turnovers down.”
There were serious questions about Kuminga’s commitment to the team and his true plans for his future after his long negotiations with the Warriors over the summer, and San Miguel thinks that is rearing its head now. He believes moving on from the wing whenever possible is the best move to ensure this team remains a title contender.
Draymond Green’s Surprising Comments
While many, including San Miguel, feel as though Kuminga is on his way out, Green recently defended his teammate, perhaps signaling the relationship is stronger than currently reported.
After a recent game against the San Antonio Spurs, Green called out the critics of Kuminga and his dramatic return to Golden State. While he has been in and out of the starting lineup with some ups and downs in performances, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year addressed the criticism directly.
“Obviously, I think JK has been playing really well. So to go out of the starting lineup, it kind of sucks,” Green shared on his ‘The Draymond Green Show.‘ “But I think also people make starting and coming off the bench sometimes more than what it really is.”
Green has a history of speaking up for his teammates, but at the same time, a history of not shying away from conflict. While discussing Kuminga on his podcast, the big man shot down any ideas that his teammate is a ‘scapegoat‘ or key reason for any of their struggles.
“I know everyone loves a good drama. Everybody’s saying, ‘Oh man, he’s being the scapegoat,‘ and this, that and all that. There’s no scapegoat. We’re 13 games in,” he added. “And so I found it very funny hearing a lot of people that never won and some losers say, ‘Oh man, he’s being scapegoated,‘ like, only bad teams and losers panic in Game 12 of an 82-game season with 70 games left.”
Green went on to further defend Kuminga on his uncertain health status and inconsistent performances. While it is hard to say if he was referring to his teammate in his previous comments on ‘agendas,‘ the outside pressure on Kuminga’s standing within the team is heating up.
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