There are still quite a few “ifs” remaining with the Golden State Warriors here in the 2024 offseason. They’re keeping an iron in the fire for a Lauri Markkanen trade, and could pivot to a different trade—Brandon Ingram, perhaps—if that ultimately flames out. And who knows whether another star player will hit the trade market in the coming weeks?
But the Warriors do feel that they’ve done a good enough job collecting players in the wake of losing Klay Thompson and Chris Paul to keep them competitive, especially if the core of young players, like Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Moses Moody continue to improve and increase their production.
The key, though, assuming no trade materializes between now and training camp in October is the young player who showed breakout talent last year—Jonathan Kuminga, who posted 16.1 points per game in 2023-24.
The Warriors face a tough choice on Kuminga, though. They have to figure out whether and how to get him into the starting lineup. It’s a challenge, but according to one longtime team insider, it’s imperative that the Warriors figure it out.
“Point No. 1, what are you doing if Kuminga is not starting? What is the point of all this?” beat man Marcus Thompson of The Athletic said, via the “Warriors Plus/Minus” podcast.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Role Still in Flux
The problem for Kuminga is that he is best suited as an undersize power forward. Steve Kerr has said that Kuminga is not a wing, and should not be playing small forward. If he plays the 4, though, that leaves Draymond Green as the starting center, a role he does not much like. Green is only 6-foot-6 and while he handles the center role frequently for the Warriors, he prefers to start as a power forward.
So the Warriors have three choices:
Start Andrew Wiggins at small forward, Kuminga at power forward and Green at center. This is the most likely option, but Kuminga is 6-foot-7, leaving the Dubs very small up front.
Start Kuminga at small forward, Green at power forward and Trayce Jackson-Davis at center. This would require coach Steve Kerr to change his view on Kuminga, and perhaps tinker with the offense to accommodate Kuminga at the 3.
Start Wiggins, Green and Jackson-Davis, with Kuminga off the bench. Well, this option got Thompson’s dander up.
“If you’re deciding that Jonathan Kuminga is part of your future and you can’t start him with Draymond and you can’t trade him … that means until Draymond is done, he can’t start. Why are you making this declaration of him as a future piece if that’s the case? You might as well go ahead and get Zach LaVine then,” Thompson said.
Warriors Will Tinker With Rotation
Kuminga has been the subject of trade rumors for pretty much his entire NBA career, which is entering Year 4. The Warriors have the option of giving Kuminga a rich extension this offseason, which would only make perhaps not starting him look even stranger.
Kerr and the Warriors figure to do a lot of tooling and retooling with the rotation early in the year, so it is fair to say that Kuminga will likely start at both forward spots at some point in October and November. Perhaps if he can show more consistent shooting, Kuminga will get the chance to be the small forward, with Green and Jackson-Davis up front.
Kuminga shot just 2.2 3s per game last year, making 32.1%.
“The head coach has said Kuminga is not a 3. Theoretically, you could start Kuminga over Wiggins,” Thompson said. “ We have seen them be very hesitant to do that. If you’re gonna Kuminga and you’re gonna start Draymond, they’ve got to be your 4-5. …
“Start him, and you figure it out with him starting. No matter what, he needs to be starting. He needs to be on the court. If you were to list your best chances, you don’t get Lauri Markkanen … who’s your best bet at getting you 20 a night? He’s going to be up there. He’s gotta be top of the line.”
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Warriors Urged to Make Final Call on Jonathan Kuminga: ‘What Are You Doing?’