Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr met with Jonathan Kuminga in a crucial meeting in Orlando ahead of their five-game East Coast road trip, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported.
The meeting was part of the open line of communication agreement Kerr and Kuminga have forged following the young forward’s public airing of grievance last year, according to Slater. With Kuminga preparing to rejoin the Warriors rotation at some point during the road trip from an ankle injury, Kerr sent him a strong message.
“The main thing I want for JK is to not press when he comes back,” Kerr said, per The Athletic. “It’s not an easy spot to come back into where the team is rolling, contract stuff this summer. He’s going to have a lot on his mind. I want to make things as smooth and easy as possible. I want him to understand that it’s not going to happen right away. He was playing the best basketball of his career before the injury, and it’s not going to happen the first night where he’s going to get back to that level. It will take a little time.”
Kuminga is set to become a restricted free agent after this season.
Slater reported in the offseason that Kuminga’s camp was “aiming for” a $35 million annual salary during their failed extension talks last year.
Jonathan Kuminga Returning to a Different Warriors Team
Kuminga has been out since Jan. 4 after suffering a significant sprained right ankle against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 22-year-old forward showed plenty of promise before the injury.
Kuminga has scored in double digits in 17 straight games, including eight 20-plus-point scoring. He had three games in which he scored more than 30 points, including a back-to-back career-high 34 in late December.
Over his last 17 games, Kuminga averaged 19.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 46.7% from the field and 37.3% from the 3-point line. He was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer behind Stephen Curry.
But that role already belongs to Jimmy Butler, the six-time NBA All-Star the Warriors have acquired at the trade deadline. Moses Moody, Kuminga’s draft classmate who was selected seven picks after him, has established himself in the starting frontcourt in his absence.
Kuminga will return to a different Warriors team that has been winning without him.
Steve Kerr Shows Jonathan Kuminga His Blueprint
During the meeting, Kerr showed his fourth-year forward clips of Butler’s plays with the Warriors.
“He’s the perfect guy for JK to emulate,” Kerr said, per The Athletic. “What makes Jimmy special is that he doesn’t try to be special. He plays fundamental basketball. He never turns it over. He just makes the simple play over and over. I want JK to learn some of that … attacking the rim, nothing there, jump stop, pass the ball. That’s a great basketball play. JK before he got hurt, it was the best I’ve ever seen him play. He was already on a great track. This was just a reminder that these are the things we want.”
How Kuminga responds to this new challenge will be telling and could decide his future with the Warriors.
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