Getty Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga runs the floor during a summer league bout with the San Antonio Spurs.
After dropping the Boston Celtics to capture their fourth championship in eight years, the Golden State Warriors have high hopes for getting back to the mountaintop next season. That hope isn’t unfounded, either, with Stephen Curry showing little sign of slowing down and Klay Thompson putting more time between himself and his injuries.
The title chase isn’t the only thing the Dubs have going for them, though. Behind the team’s championship core, Bob Myers and his brain trust have also assembled an impressive cadre of young talent in Jordan Poole and the lottery trio of James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.
If all goes according to plan, the lot of them will be right there to take the baton and run with it as Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green begin to age out.
Time will tell whether that plan can be successful, of course. In the meantime, Kuminga has made it known that he hopes to forge a frontcourt partnership with Wiseman that lasts for several years.
Kuminga Dishes on Connection with Wiseman
JK wants to play with Wiseman for the next 10-to-15 years
On Friday, Kuminga and Wiseman were back on the floor for the Warriors’ latest summer league game against a talented Oklahoma City Thunder squad. In a combined 48 minutes of play, the duo put up a line of 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. And in the their previous game against the C’s, they combined for 35, nine and one.
Sure, there were some miscues and awkward moments along the way, but the incredible potential of the pairing was apparent nonetheless, even as Kuminga and Wiseman have shared precious few moments together on the court.
When asked about his connection with Wiseman before the bout with OKC, Kuminga left little doubt about where he’d like things to go as their respective careers unfold.
“Hopefully we play like that together for like the next 10 years, 15 years,” Kuminga said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “Just building our chemistry at a young age, it means a lot.”
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It’s Going to Take Time, Though
The more minutes that Kuminga and Wiseman can share together on the hardwood this summer, the better. But it’s also worth remembering that the latter only has 39 NBA games under his belt, and he’s still working his way back from a meniscus tear. Moreover, summer league isn’t always the best place for big men to showcase their skills.
Wrote the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Connor Letourneau:
On numerous occasions, Wiseman has been wide open near the rim, only for a guard to hoist a shot or attack a crowded lane. But this much is apparent: Wiseman is the same inconsistent big man fans saw from his rookie season two years ago.
Meanwhile, Kuminga is going through growing pains, too, as shouted out by Draymond Green on his podcast this week. So, Dub Nation may just have to be patient while the young ballers work out their kinks.
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