Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Notes: Podziemski, TJD, Wiggins, CP3, Kuminga

October 15th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

As head coach Steve Kerr told reporters before the Warriors‘ first preseason game, rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis aren’t expected to have roles in a veteran-heavy rotation when the regular season tips off later this month. Still, both Podziemski and Jackson-Davis have been impressing Kerr and the team in training camp and the preseason, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Podziemski, in particular, had a big game in a win over the Lakers on Thursday, racking up 10 assists to go along with his 10 points. And both rookies were part of the closing lineup that sealed the victory, Slater notes.

“That was the highlight of the game,” Kerr said. “Fourth quarter. Those guys doing a lot of good things to help us win the game. Good possessions, offensive boards, having to feel that game pressure and coming through.”

As Slater observes, while Podziemski and Jackson-Davis may find themselves on the bench when the regular season begins, a strong showing in the preseason is important.

Last season, when rotation players were injured or struggled, the Warriors looked up and down their depth chart for reserves who could give them solid minutes, but they were never fully comfortable giving rookies Patrick Baldwin and Ryan Rollins regular playing time, Slater writes. Podziemski and Jackson-Davis, who aren’t quite as raw, could find themselves called upon at some point in 2023/24 and may be in a better position to contribute.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Besides winning another title, Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins says his goals for the 2023/24 season include being an All-Star, earning a spot on the All-Defensive team, and representing Canada in the Paris Olympics, according to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.com. Wiggins also confirmed to Medina that he’s feeling healthy again after playing through a left costal cartilage fracture in the postseason, adding that he didn’t require offseason surgery to address the injury.
New Warriors guard Chris Paul has been pleasantly surprised by how “seamless” the transition to his new team has been, he told Zena Keita on the Dubs Talk podcast (story and quotes via Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Kerr said on Friday that he appreciates CP3’s vocal leadership style, according to Angelina Martin of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I think most of our team is quiet, other than Draymond [Green]. But I think, frankly, Draymond needs another voice in that locker room,” Kerr said. “I think we have been at our best over the years when we’ve had veteran guys — guys like David West, Zaza [Pachulia], Shaun Livingston — whose voices really carried well in the locker room.”
While preseason performances doesn’t always carry over the regular season, the Warriors have liked what they’ve seen from forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has scored 50 total points in two preseason contests and is shooting a blistering 65.4% from the floor, writes C.J. Holmes of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). “He’s just more at peace with himself, embracing the coaching more,” Kerr said. “This is, I think, natural in your third year, to be more comfortable with your surroundings and expectations. He’s just doing a great job of staying poised through his mistakes and he’s really been aggressive.”
Will the Warriors win at least 49 games this season? Vote on their win total, along with the other four Pacific teams, right here.

Pacific Notes: Okogie, Clippers, Covington, Kuminga

October 12th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Suns are headlined by the trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, with the recently acquired Jusuf Nurkic manning the middle. That leaves one spot on the starting lineup open and, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, wing Josh Okogie has the inside track for that slot.

Okogie’s smothering defense is earning him extended playing time, Fischer writes, and he’s showcasing his ability to do all the little things during the preseason. According to Fischer, head coach Frank Vogel has been appreciative of the wing’s ability to guard one through four on the floor. The Suns aren’t loaded with stellar point of attack defenders, but Okogie is showing he can play that role.

“Every time you have a team there’s a couple holes that need to be plugged, and I feel like I try to fill in those gaps,” Okogie said.

It’s been a long journey for Okogie, who began his career with the Timberwolves. According to Fischer, he spent some time with former Wolves star wing Jimmy Butler, who took him under his wing. His experience with Butler, along with others, helped prepare him for the load of playing with stars.

“He knows that people don’t know him for that, but he’s a really great dude. He pays attention to everything. He cares about the little guys,” Okogie said. “He was helping me how to navigate. Taught me a couple things on how to guard and how to play the game in his short time there.”

Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports notes that Okogie has shined so far in the preseason and is solidifying his starting role. Okogie finished with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals on Tuesday night.

Okogie averaged 7.3 points and 3.5 rebounds with the Suns last year in his first season with the team. He re-signed with Phoenix this offseason.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Clippers have a battle for the starting power forward position taking place, with Terance Mann and Robert Covington both looking to lock down the starting position that was once held by Marcus Morris, Law Murray of The Athletic writes. Murray writes that, barring a trade, it’s looking like one of those two will start. Covington said he has “a vendetta” in his approach to this season after a lost year in which he played sparingly, Murray writes. Murray concludes that Mann has the best qualities if the Clippers want to downsize but Covington’s size and ability to make plays on defense make him appealing.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was complimentary of Covington’s game after L.A.’s preseason game on Tuesday, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times points out (Twitter link). According to Greif, Lue said he wants to see more of the trio of Covington, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George playing together. “[Covington]’s length and blocking shots, deflections, his cutting is important offensively, and he also rebounds, so just his activity on the defensive end, like I said makes us a different team,” Lue said. “You add Kawhi and PG to that mix, [Russell Westbrook] and then [Ivica Zubac] anchoring it, that’s pretty tough to handle.” Covington started the Clippers’ preseason game on Tuesday.
Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is dealing with a jammed thumb and he’s questionable for Golden State’s preseason tilt against the Lakers on Friday, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews tweets. According to Andrews, he’s not doing live work yet in practice but went through individual work.

Warriors Notes: Gay, Draymond, Paul, Kuminga

October 12th, 2023 at 1:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Rudy Gay signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract to compete for a spot on the regular season roster. It’s the first time the accomplished veteran has been in this position in his lengthy career, but he’s confident he can still contribute.

“I’ve been humbled so many times in my career, so it wasn’t nothing,” Gay told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “This is the first time. Hopefully, the last. But it’s one of those things that you come in there and show my work. At the end of the day, throw some s— at the wall and see if it sticks.

“I know I still got a lot to give and I can help a team in this situation. I feel like it’s a pretty good situation.”

The 37-year-old said he considered several non-guaranteed offers from NBA teams, but believed the Warriors gave him the best chance to compete for a title, according to Spears.

“If you’re not competing for a championship 18 years in, what are you playing for?” Gay said. “I train my body all summer. The season is long. A lot of flights. You’re away from your family. You got to do it for something, especially at this point in my life.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green thinks Chris Paul will fit in well with Golden State, per Jordan Elliott of NBC Sports Bay Area. “When you can add a guy that has the respect around the league that Chris Paul has, that has the résumé that Chris Paul has, and the basketball knowledge, and the will to win that Chris Paul has, that’s a positive for any team,” Green said.
In a terrific story for The Athletic, Marcus Thompson II details how the Warriors’ annual trip to San Quentin prison shows Chris Paul‘s character and how he has embraced the team’s culture.
After failing to crack Golden State’s rotation at times during last season’s playoffs, third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga spent the offseason diligently working to improve his game, he tells Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I just want to keep growing as a basketball player,” Kuminga said. “Get better at reading the game. Making sure the game comes easier. Because the work you put in every day makes it easier. I was in the Bay as much as I could, just playing a lot. I did a lot this summer, just playing with the people that were coming in. Just trying to read the game, to be involved and learning the pace of the game and different things.” The former lottery pick hopes to be an All-Star within the next two seasons, according to Poole.

Pacific Notes: Beal, Suns, Kuminga, Reddish

October 7th, 2023 at 11:07pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns made another blockbuster trade this offseason, acquiring three-time All-Star Bradley Beal from the Wizards. The 30-year-old guard has dealt with injuries the past couple seasons, appearing in just 90 of 164 regular season games.

In a Q&A with Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link), Beal says he’s fully healthy entering 2023/24.

“In year 12, this is probably the best I’ve felt for sure in the last three to four years,” Beal told Rankin. “And that’s all a testament to being able to get back to my routine in the summer. Granted I’ve had injuries in the past couple of summers. I had the birth of my child. I had COVID one summer. It was all over the place.

“Now I have a legit clean slate. Crazy new environment. New threads. New everything and now I have a legit chance to work on my body, work on everything through the offseason to make sure I’m in the right place starting today. I feel amazing. My body is in a great spot. My mental is in a great spot. Like I said earlier, just the focus is in between the lines.”

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Unsurprisingly given his reputation, new Suns head coach Frank Vogel has placed a high emphasis on defense this season, Rankin writes in another subscriber-only story for The Arizona Republic. “Be a physical, defensive-minded team,” Beal said of Vogel’s training camp message. “That’s going to come first. We know what our abilities are on offense, but if we’re not willing to guard, defend and get in the stance and hold each other accountable at that end, we’re wasting our time.”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga ahead of Golden State’s first preseason game against the Lakers, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “(Kuminga has had) a really good (week of) camp…He’s asking more questions,” Kerr said. “Really engaged. Pleased with the way he’s growing.” Kuminga had a strong performance in the game, Slater adds (via Twitter), notching 24 points (on 8-of-14 shooting), eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 24 minutes.
Lakers wing Cam Reddish, who signed a two-year, minimum-salary deal with L.A. in free agency, exited the preseason opener against the Warriors with a right ankle sprain and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest (Twitter link via Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group). The former lottery pick missed all four of his field goal attempts and was a team-worst minus-22 in 18 minutes in the Lakers’ loss.

Draymond Green Out 4-To-6 Weeks With Sprained Ankle

September 30th, 2023 at 4:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Draymond Green has suffered a left ankle sprain that could sideline him for up to six weeks, tweets Jason Dumas of KRON4 News. It’s not a high ankle sprain, Dumas adds, and more information is expected to be revealed Monday at the Warriors‘ media day.

The injury happened during a pickup game this week at Chase Center, a source tells Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).

“I dodged a bullet and learned that today by the way it’s (positively) reacting,” Green told Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). “Even with an MRI you don’t see the trend of it immediately. The swelling is down.”

Green added that he expects to be sidelined for four to six weeks. That means he’ll miss all of training camp and the preseason and he’s not likely to be available when Golden State hosts the Suns to open the regular season on October 24.

It’s a tough break for a Warriors team that relies heavily on the defense and play-making that Green provides. His absence could mean a greater early-season role for Jonathan Kuminga, as well as offseason addition Dario Saric.

Injuries have become more common for the 33-year-old Green, who is preparing for his 12th NBA season. He battled through a series of physical issues while playing 73 games last season and was limited to 46 games in 2021/22 because of a back ailment.

Warriors Notes: CP3, Starting Five, Green, Kuminga, Saric

September 27th, 2023 at 7:44am CST by Luke Adams

New Warriors point guard Chris Paul could endear himself to fans and the organization alike if he declares on media day that he’s focused solely on winning and is open to playing any role in his first season in Golden State, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Both Poole and Tim Kawakami of The Athletic believe Paul is best suited to come off the bench, leaving a strong starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Kevon Looney intact. That would allow the veteran point guard to head up the second unit and to move into the starting five in the event of an injury. He’d still see plenty of crunch-time action, but bringing him off the bench would allow the Warriors to manage his minutes in preparation for the postseason, Kawakami notes.

Asked by Kawakami if he has talked to Paul about being a reserve, Kerr said he only addressed the subject “briefly” when he spoke to CP3 following the trade that sent him to the Warriors.

“I basically told him what I just told you and told everybody listening, that we’ve gotta see,” Kerr said during an appearance on Kawakami’s podcast. “We’ve gotta work on this and put everything on the floor.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

The decision to re-sign Green after he declined his player option was made early in the offseason and helped line up the rest of the Warriors’ summer moves, according to Kerr. “I think Draymond was the key decision over the summer, and collectively we just all felt like, you know what, he impacts winning at such a high level, he’s still such an impactful player at both ends, and this has been such a special group, let’s lean into the group and see what we can do,” Kerr told Kawakami.
Kerr said he’s excited to see what sort of impact the addition of Paul will have on young forward Jonathan Kuminga and newcomer Dario Saric, noting that CP3 makes the game easier for everyone. He added that he’s “really excited” about the addition of Saric as a free agent. “I think he was a crucial, crucial signing for us,” Kerr said on Kawakami’s podcast. “You think about our team two years ago, that won the championship. One of the reasons we won is we had (Nemanja Bjelica) and Otto Porter, two bigs who could shoot and play-make on the perimeter and tie together certain combinations. You look at Saric, he’s a bigger and stronger version of Bjelica. Really good pick-and-pop player, but also very strong, very physical, great screen-setter, great dribble-handoff guy.”
Kerr downplayed the notion that the Warriors need more size on their roster, pointing out that even defensive stars like Anthony Davis have trouble guarding Nikola Jokic. “You can’t just look at it and say we need somebody who’s big and strong to guard Jokic,” Kerr told Kawakami. “You also have to say, all right, at the other end, what are we going to do? How can you make the game more even when you’re going against a guy like that? Well, it’s with play-making and passing and putting the other guy in a difficult spot. That’s the balance you’re really looking for. You can throw a big guy out there on Jokic and it may not matter. And then you’re going to be less effective on offense at the same time and you’re really in a tough spot.”
Speaking to Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic on the Tampering podcast this week, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. also said he believes the Warriors have enough size. Dunleavy, who discussed several other topics during the conversation, also suggested that the organization believes new rules like the second tax apron and the player participation policy were implemented to slow down teams like Golden State. “I think first of all, you take it as a compliment when, you know, just like Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), (when) they took the dunk out (of the college game during his time at UCLA),” Dunleavy said. “… You’ve gotta first let it soak in and feel like, ‘OK, we did something right (for the changes to be seen as necessary).”

Pacific Notes: Paul, Kuminga, Warriors, Eubanks, K. Brown

August 4th, 2023 at 9:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today on Wednesday (YouTube link), Warriors head coach Steve Kerr discussed the addition of point guard Chris Paul and what he can bring to the team, highlighting Golden State’s turnover issues in 2022/23 and the future Hall-of-Famer’s ability to take care of the basketball.

As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Paul has never come off the bench in his lengthy career. Following Team USA’s practice on Friday, Kerr brushed aside that topic, noting that it will be a matter for a future date.

“I think that’ll be a case where you get three weeks of training camp before that first game,” Kerr said. “We’ll just look at all kinds of different combinations.

“The main thing is we know all those guys are gonna play a lot of minutes. But the luxury of having Chris Paul to add to this group that we’ve been lucky enough to have for a decade … pretty remarkable. He is one of the great competitors in the game. He’s one of the great point guards of all time. I think he’s a great addition for us, because of his ability to control games, control tempo, take care of the ball.”

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga believes he’s primed for a breakout season in 2023/24, he told Leonard Solms of ESPN at the Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa. “This upcoming season is definitely the year,” Kuminga said. “A lot of people are expecting so much from me – and myself; I’m expecting a lot. It’s a lot of pressure, but I don’t really pay attention to the noise. The pressure is always going to be there. It’s just [on] me to go out there and perform.” The former lottery pick also discussed mentoring his fellow African countrymen and the importance he places on “growing as a person,” per Solms.
What can the Suns expect from free agent addition Drew Eubanks? Gerald Bourguet explores that question in detail for PHNX Sports, writing that the big man’s shot blocking, mobility, foot work, athletic finishing, solid screening, and physicality are positive traits he’ll bring to his new club.
The Clippers selected former Missouri forward Kobe Brown with the 30th overall pick in June’s draft. They’ve been impressed with Brown’s versatility and willingness to make winning plays, according to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. “He can do a lot of things without having the ball in his hands, as you saw,” Summer League coach Dahntay Jones said. “…He can do a bunch of different things to complement the cast that we have already. He knows he’s a basketball player first. He doesn’t hang his hat on scoring. He hangs his hat on having a positive effect on the game of basketball.”

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Murray, Fox, Clippers, Preston

July 5th, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Rory Maher

On a recent episode of Podcast P with Paul George (YouTube link), Draymond Green said new point guard Chris Paul will help stabilize the Warriors‘ second unit and “unlock” one of the team’s former lottery picks.

“CP can anchor that unit…and I think that is a big thing to helping unlock our team again…I’ll tell you one more thing that I think it unlocks and I look forward to learning this from him; I think Chris Paul will completely unlock Jonathan Kuminga and his growth. CP is great with young guys,” Green said (hat tip to HoopsHype).

The Warriors are trading Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, Patrick Baldwin, a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick, and a 2027 second round pick to the Wizards for Paul. The deal isn’t official yet but likely will be tomorrow once the free agency moratorium lifts.

Here’s more from the Pacific:

Kings forward Keegan Murray is once again shining in Summer League action. As he prepares for his sophomore season, the first-team All-Rookie member is working with star guard De’Aaron Fox on a daily basis, writes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “I’ve been with him every single day so far this summer,” Murray said. “We play one-on-one three, four times a week so that’s helped me a lot in different areas on the court.” For those curious, Murray said he has yet to beat Fox one-on-one, though he’s come “very close.”
Additional trades could still be in the works, but it appears as though the Clippers‘ free agency work is done, according to Law Murray of The Athletic, who examines the team’s moves this offseason. With 16 players on standard contracts and Jason Preston on a non-guaranteed deal (it will be guaranteed July 18), the young guard’s performance during Summer League will be critical for his future with the team, says Murray.
Speaking of Preston, he said he underwent LASIK eye surgery and had another procedure to fix a deviated septum, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. The 23-year-old former second-round pick missed his entire rookie season after foot surgery and appeared in just 14 games with the Clippers in 2022/23.

Warriors Rumors: Green, DiVincenzo, Kuminga, Poole, Paul, Thompson

June 30th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors are optimistic about re-signing Draymond Green and have been discussing a three-year deal with his representatives, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Slater says trading for Chris Paul was a win-now move that the team wouldn’t have made without a level of confidence that Green will return. He projects a new contract for Green starting close to the range of the $27.6MM player option that he declined, but adds that every $1MM the Warriors can save is important because of their inflated tax bill.

There may not have been a realistic market for Green in free agency, Scotto adds. The Kings were floated as a possibility because their head coach is former Warriors assistant Mike Brown, but Scotto points out that they’re hoping to sign Kyle Kuzma and had to work out a new deal with Harrison Barnes. The Pistons and Grizzlies were also mentioned, but Slater states that Memphis dropped out of consideration with the Marcus Smart trade.

There’s more on the Warriors:

Donte DiVincenzo is expected to sign elsewhere and may be able to land a non-taxpayer MLE, which would be more than twice what Golden State can offer him, according to Scotto. Sources tell C.J. Holmes of The San Franciso Chronicle that the Knicks have emerged as the favorite to land DiVincenzo, who prefers to play on the East Coast and is hoping to receive a contract starting at $9-12MM. However, Scotto isn’t convinced that DiVincenzo would be a good fit in New York considering the number of guards already on the roster.
The Pacers were among the teams that inquired on Jonathan Kuminga, offering mainly draft assets in return, sources tell Scotto. Slater also cites interest from the Raptors and says Golden State began asking about OG Anunoby before the trade deadline. However, Slater doesn’t believe the Warriors have been shopping Kuminga, saying the organization still has confidence in him and he’ll likely be on the team when next season begins.
The decision to part with Jordan Poole in the trade for Paul was necessary to unload his contract, but coach Steve Kerr welcomed the chance to move on from a player who was fourth in the league in turnovers last season and often took poor shots, Slater states. Slater envisions Paul as the leader of the second unit, helping to develop young players such as Kuminga and Moses Moody.
Getting rid of Poole’s contract increases the chances for a Klay Thompson extension, according to Slater. Paul’s $30MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed, so more long-term money is available for Thompson. Slater doesn’t believe the Warriors have started negotiating a salary with Thompson yet, but he expects the veteran guard will have to accept a reduction from his current $43MM.

Fischer’s Latest: Hunter, Pistons, Collins, Jazz, Poole, Herro

June 23rd, 2023 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks didn’t end up making any major moves on draft day, but they continue to explore potential trade options around the league, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

According to Fischer, in addition to having talked to Indiana about a possible deal involving forward De’Andre Hunter, the Hawks also had “significant” discussions with the Pistons about a trade that would have sent the 25-year-old to Detroit.

Hunter isn’t the only Hawks forward whose name is popping up in trade talks this week. Fischer says Atlanta has also been active on the John Collins front, re-engaging the Jazz in conversations about the big man who has been consistently mentioned in trade rumors for multiple years. However, it doesn’t sound like the two sides gained serious traction in those negotiations.

Here’s more from Fischer’s post-draft report for Yahoo Sports:

Before agreeing to trade Jordan Poole to Washington, the Warriors also talked to the Celtics and Spurs about him, writes Fischer. Boston moved forward with its Kristaps Porzingis deal instead, while San Antonio “never made a significant offer” for Poole, according to Fischer, who adds that Golden State also had “serious” talks with the Pacers about a deal involving the No. 7 overall pick and Jonathan Kuminga.
Given that the Wizards were making it in a point in most of their trade discussions not to take back any long-term money, some opposing executives have wondered if they intend to flip Poole to another team, says Fischer. However, sources tell Yahoo Sports that the Warriors are under the impression that Washington plans to keep the high-scoring guard.
Golden State’s trade of Poole has increased speculation among rival executives that the Heat may take a similar path and look to deal Tyler Herro sooner rather than later, per Fischer. Herro didn’t play a role in Miami’s run to the NBA Finals this spring due to a hand injury, and his four-year $120MM+ contract is very similar to Poole’s.
People around the NBA think there may be some “atypical” trade activity before the start of free agency, according to Fischer. The new CBA will take effect in July, so teams may want to take advantage of certain old rules – like the ability of tax-apron teams to take back up to 125% of the salaries they send out in trades – before they expire.

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