Getty Jonathan Kuminga of the G League Ignite during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks on February 18, 2021.
If all the pieces fall into place on Thursday night, it appears that the Golden State Warriors may have made up their mind on what to do with the No. 7 overall draft pick.
According to reports, Golden State is targeting 18-year-old G-League forward Jonathan Kuminga.
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Chad Ford on Jonathan Kuminga: “I’ve had people in Golden State tell me that if he’s there, there’s a very high likelihood that they’ll select him.”
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On the most recent episode of Chad Ford’s NBA Big Board podcast, Ford and guest David Thorpe discussed Kuminga possibly being selected by the Dubs.
Kuminga Will Still Be 18 When Training Camp Begins
GettyJonathan Kuminga of the G League Ignite and Ignas Brazdeikis of the Westchester Knicks during a G-League game in February.
Though the Congolese teenager is almost half the age of Stephen Curry, Ford said he could see a potential fit between Kuminga and the Warriors.
“I was really skeptical that Golden State would select Kuminga if he was there. But I’ve been corrected in that thinking. I’ve had people in Golden State tell me that if he’s there, there’s a very high likelihood that they’ll select him,” Ford said, noting that Kuminga could spend next season between the NBA and G-League. “And they’ll have a ton of my respect for that as well because it’s so easy to [pick] Davion Mitchell or someone who [you] think is gonna be able to step in right away.”
Kuminga won’t turn 19 until October 6 – after training camp begins – but has great raw talent and potential, having been compared to Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. In CBS Sports writer Kyle Boone’s most recent mock draft, he has the Dubs taking Kuminga at No. 7.
Although he averaged a solid 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 13 contests with the Ignite last season, the NBA prospect also shot just 38.7% from the field and 24.6% from beyond the arc.
How Would Kuminga Fit Into the Warriors Rotation?
GettyJonathan Kuminga of the G League Ignite during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks in February.
Due to his age, there’s a very real chance that Kuminga could play a portion of next season in the G-League again. This of course could depend largely on if the Warriors retain the 14th overall pick, as well as the likes of James Wiseman and Andrew Wiggins.
If Wiseman and Wiggins are back, they would conceivably fill out the starting lineup along with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson (hopefully returning in the first half of the season), and Draymond Green. If Golden State took Kuminga at No. 7, they may opt for a more seasoned collegiate player at No. 14, who would likely jump right into the team’s rotation.
Then with the likes of Juan Toscano-Anderson, Kevon Looney, Jordan Poole, and Eric Paschall likely – or in Looney’s case definitely – returning, that’s already a 10-man rotation. This doesn’t even take into account who they may see come or go in free agency, but the team has just a few free agents, and Kelly Oubre Jr. is the only one so far heavily-rumored to leave.
Even if Kuminga is selected at No. 7 Thursday night and is forced to play parts of the season in the G-League, a talent like him could have a bright future in the Bay Area.
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‘Very High Likelihood’ Warriors Draft G-League Star at No. 7 if Available