Before the start of the season, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had a prediction for the pace of development for the team’s rookies — slow and steady.
Now, with the season winding down and playoffs approaching, one insider believes that top rookie Jonathan Kuminga may be smashing through expectations and on pace for a significant role in the playoffs. Kuminga and fellow rookie Moses Moody started the season taking the slow path that Kerr once predicted, splitting time between Golden State and the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, but Kuminga’s fast improvement has earned him a spot in the regular rotation and could pave the way for an important role in the team’s playoff run.
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Kuminga’s Rise Impresses Insider
The No. 7 overall pick was able to make the most of his more limited opportunities early in the season, showing off his superb athleticism and frenetic defensive energy. When the Warriors were hit with a series of injuries, Kuminga was trusted to jump into the rotation and has delivered. In the month of March, Kuminga has averaged 13.4 points per game on 52 percent shooting, adding 4.8 rebounds per game.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe said that Kuminga’s abilities could now be an important asset for the Warriors in the playoffs.
“In the absences of key players, the Warriors have learned unexpected things,” Lowe wrote. “One is that Kuminga is way ahead of schedule, and maybe ready (to these eyes, is ready) for playoff minutes … Kuminga is providing that ingredient, and then some, right now. He is 19 and somehow built like a tank — with elite speed, power, and leaping ability. Blink, and he’s on top of the rim.”
Kerr Praises Kuminga’s Athleticism
It initially appeared that both Kuminga and Moody could struggle to find minutes on a veteran-laden Warrior roster. With the return of Klay Thompson, the Warriors came into the season harboring title hopes and those aspirations only grew stronger as the team shot out to one of the top records in the Western Conference. The all-in mentality made it difficult for the rookies to find time to develop, though Kuminga has seized the opportunity with injuries to Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
Appearing on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon & Ratto” last week, Kerr said that Kuminga’s athleticism has shined through even as he is still learning the intricacies of the NBA.
“What you’re seeing is why he was the seventh pick in the draft and why he has such a high ceiling,” Kerr said. “He barely knows what he’s doing at this stage and every night he’s so gifted, so explosive that he’s gonna practically fall in to 14 points and seven rebounds. The whole point of what’s happening now is, we’re playing him and we’re giving him every opportunity. He’s learning from every single rep that he gets.”
Kuminga may need to fill in for another young Warriors big man in the playoffs. The team had hoped that second-year center James Wiseman would return in time for the playoffs and he initially appeared on track to return from a knee injury, but a recent setback has thrown that into question. Wiseman suffered swelling in his right knee, where last season he suffered a meniscus tear that cut short his rookie season. His status for the rest of the season remains uncertain.
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