Prior to Monday’s game against Indiana, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Jonathan Kuminga‘s recent shot selection and decision-making had been “poor” and that he had spoken to both Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski about making better decisions, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN relays.
Kuminga responded with one of his best games of the season off the bench. In just under 30 minutes of action, he racked up 26 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while only turning the ball over once.
“This is the JK we want,” Kerr said after the game, per Youngmisuk. “Spent a lot of time in the paint, took care of the ball. Had a couple really nice passes. Found Buddy (Hield) for three on a beautiful play and really attacked. So this is a great example of how JK needs to play. I’m really proud of him for coming out, playing that way. … He’s getting better, and it’s fun to watch his development.”
Kuminga started six straight games earlier this month, but has come off the bench for the past three. Kerr has suggested the change isn’t necessarily permanent, but noted last week that the club sets a better defensive tone with Draymond Green starting alongside a center. Kuminga, whose role has fluctuated frequently since he entered the league in 2021, said he’s gotten used to the unpredictability and isn’t letting it faze him.
“From where I come from, you always got to be mentally tough,” Kuminga said. “A lot of people that are playing … if they were in my shoes, they’ll quit basketball. They’ll need a therapist. They’ll go through a lot of mental situations. But that thing don’t affect me. As long as I go out here every day and just play, be with my teammates, (they) keep encouraging me to be who I am every day.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Suns two-way guard Collin Gillespie, who was diagnosed last month with a right ankle fracture, is hoping he’ll be able to return to action shortly after the G League’s regular season begins next week, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I haven’t really talked to the coaches about it, but I’m sure that’ll be the plan of making sure I check off all the boxes here, individual workouts,” Gillespie said. “Play 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and just build it up until I’m ready to go 5-on-5. Then I’m sure once they get back from break (between the Winter Showcase and regular season), they’ll have some home games that I’ll be able to play. Hopefully get some reps there.” The Valley Suns, Phoenix’s NBAGL affiliate, will play their first regular season game next Monday.
- A year ago at this time, the Suns had a 14-14 record. This year, despite an 8-1 start, they’re 14-14 again. Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports explores why the team is being plagued by the same issues as last season and considers whether those issues are fixable.
- The Lakers‘ offense ranks 29th in the NBA over the past four weeks and head coach J.J. Redick believes the team’s shot selection is a big part of the reason why, as Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group writes. “Over the last 13 (games), we’re taking five more non-paint twos – we’re shooting 39% on those,” Redick said. “… Those five extra non-paint twos, if we shot them at the same rate as Phoenix – who shoots 49% on non-paint twos – our offense would go from 29th to 27th. … If we took those five middies and we shot league average on threes, our offense would go from 27th to 12th. In some ways, we need to shoot more threes and we need to make more threes. That doesn’t mean we come down and just, no pass, one dribble shot. We’ve got to generate the right ones and we’ve got to do it with the right process.”
And people were whining that Kerr was to tough on Kuminga. As long as he plays like this, he will get the minutes. Now, they need to get Schroder and Curry meshed together.
Kerr comes from a generation where if you don’t do your job, you don’t play. JK’s issue is that he doesn’t play to his strengths as much as Kerr wants him and the team needs him to do. If he stays in the paint, he can be a mismatch for any defense as long as his head is in the game. He’s not a good 3PT shooter so he needs to utilize his size and athleticism.
I don’t think JK needs to be a great 3PT shooter. If he shot 5-6 3s a night at a 36% clip, it would help him and the team. Defenders would have to play him tighter. It also opens up passing lanes.
Kuminga is the only warrior who attacks basket.
That helps warriora including Steph Curry much more than shooting. Any coach tellls him to shoot more should be fired
Kuminga just needs to listen and focus on the things he can excel at with the minutes that are handed to him.
He’s a really good player but I understand why Kerr and MDJ want to wait to give him all that money. He hasn’t realized his potential. Hopefully for classy GSW fans in here, he does that.
Warrior fans should have concerns on Curry. That is 2 out of last 3 games he has not been very good. Is age and injuries taking their toll on him?
He has a new backcourt mate. It takes time to adjust and mesh together. Not a whole lot of reason to be concerned.
I think that’s exactly it. And it’s taking a while for Dennis Schroder to adjust as well. So while he’s trying to smooth things out, they’ll just double team Curry who is also out of sorts as you say with the new back court partner.
They’re both pros, but this might take a little time. I’m glad Dennis is on an expiring contract in case this doesn’t work out and also keep in mind we have the trade deadline too.
I think Mike Dunleavy is constantly rethinking the roster and is also big game hunting until the day Curry retires.
Warriors should have had Schroder come off the bench for 3-5 gms to learn the system and take some pressure off Shroeder. Why so hurry to insert him in the starting lineup?
:(
yeah, because this DEFINITELY doesnt happen every single year! steph always lights it up in December!! lol
He had a +6 last night btw, and Dennis was -22, so….
You see a similar thing with LBJ…
It’s age… He can get up and have games where the commentators will question the power of father time…
But father time always wins…
So, the Bucks, Mavericks, Celtics, Cavaliers will not make the playoffs. They are not young teams.
Think they’ll make the play in?
It’s hard to tell on the website who you’re asking, but I’ll throw my two cents in. Wow I’m not sure if they can make the play in. It’s gonna be close lol but I think they have a shot at it.
> Think they’ll make the play-in?
Same answer as last year: it depends on when Kerr’s ego gives in to reality. No coach in basketball has hurt their team as much over the last 2 years by refusing to give minutes to his best players. It’s that simple.
Last year, Kerr waited until late January until giving up on his unconventional rotations (i.e, favorite players). GSW then had the best record in the West in the 2nd half, as well as the best performing lineups. But Kerr did so too late, and GSW missed the playoffs.
No NBA coach underplays his best and overplays his worst as much as Kerr. For example, why play Andrew Wiggins, who is having a career year, 6 minutes less per game than his career average. And why give 17 mpg to Lindy Waters, a proven fringe NBA player.
Nor does any NBA coach use less stable rotations than Kerr, who denies its measurable cost in turnovers and miscommunication. The case against Kerr’s 12-13 man rotations is now statistically devastating, but they continue.
We’ve heard Steph and Draymond repeatedly ask for smaller rotations and more stability, but to no avail. Like Bill Belichik in his final years, Kerr has become the “Mad King” — he’d rather lose than not do it his way.
Suns need to move on from KD. Trade him to Houston for Amen Thompson and/or Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, Steven Adams, and 2-3 FRPs.
What if Houston doesn’t want to make that trade?
Houston would laugh at that
GMs wisdom
Suns need to trade Beal for two good players
76ers need to trade George for 3 good players
We don’t have wisdom, GMs have
Or JJ it could be that your roster is just not very good.
JJ is the last guy who should be given a hard time. Bless him for continuing to have something to say to the media. Pretty sure that’s why they hired him.
If Podz averaged 15 PPG with all that playing time, that Moody and Trayce definitely have proven they can do if given 20+ MPG, GSW would be top 4 right now. Instead Podz is 8.3 PPG. Its all on Podz and Wiggins underperforming too. Wiggins is the #2 player behind Steph but has NEVER stood up when Steph is off. Because Wiggs is really a #4 on a good team, he isnt a top 3 guy on any team despite making that type of money. GSW should move on from Wiggs and Podz, there are better players out there who fit better with Steph.
So you’re telling me that Golden State’s 2022 championship was a fluke? They won that championship with Wiggins being the second leading scorer and best perimeter defender.
Actually, it was a bit of a fluke. For most of the season, they were a .500 club, or the 10th seed. They won 18 of their first 20 games.
They got off to a fast start and played extremely well with Poole. I think he started 57 games that season?
Poole started those games because they had a lot injuries. They struggled most of the season.
Suns are toast…
Just too old of a group… Like the Warriors they’ll have flashes, but dont have the legs under them to do a Lakers bubble scenario without the bubble…
Whatever happened to “GSW being top 4 with the Schroeder trade” bandwaggon?
It’ll be back when “insert name of role player here” gets traded there…
WAyyyyyyyyy too many turnovers outta Reaves/LBJ, you cant win like that in the NBA
Would love to see more LBJ operate the O outta the post while surveying rather than dribbling 30 ft away, he just doesn’t have the first step anymore to break the D down and you see a lot of bad passes when he gets caught in the nowhere to go zone off the dribble/ seems they have totally forgotten about the high screen and roll with Reaves/Lbj that worked so well early as well, totally vanished
Bottom line is Warriors are back to square one.
Do they trade all there young players to maximize Curry (2-3 years window) or NOT? Kerr is a master at developing and maximizing journeyman vet type of players and hasnt had equitable success with our own draftees for whatever reasons. So Status Quo, Go all in, or TOTAL rebuild?
As long as Curry is on the team, you always go for it. You will never do a total rebuild.
You can’t even do a partial rebuild by keeping Curry and trading Green and Wiggins, etc. That would result in fruitless middling, small success, poor draft positioning.
And there’s no way of course that you trade Steph Curry. That is unthinkable because of his value to the franchise. They’re worth $9 billion the number two sports franchise in the country.
So no on the total rebuild and no on the partial rebuild. It’s big game hunting or attaining serviceable vets.
So they ahould go all in. Moody and Kuminga are simply not developing. Kuminga had one of his best gms last night but 3 missed FTs at the crunch time is unacceptable. 60% FT is not worthy of $200m contract. They are not going to help Curry win a title so let’s move on especially if we all agree that Wiggins is better. Get tid of all Myers picks and start fresh with Dunleavy’s. Kerr loves journeymen so let’s find more Ty Jerome, Waters, Donte, etc. FK 2 timelines, and let’s go all in. Well, it’s not like Warriors have any choice because starting next yr, they have to pay these guys and they dont fit Kerr system.
Yes, that’s the way I’m thinking, but it’s easier said than done. I think Dunlavy is doing his best to accomplish what you state here and I think by the deadline the roster will be reworked once again.
The Warriors just need to find those veterans that are on the outs with their current team either because the team has slipped or the contracts are a pill to swallow.
But the Warriors need players, veteran players who know what they’re doing out there.