Jonathan Kuminga was reinserted into the Golden State Warriors rotation after Jimmy Butler got hurt in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
Butler missed Game 3 but returned in Game 4.
After Butler came back, Kuminga was back to not playing. However, after Steph Curry injured his left hamstring in Game 1 of the conference semifinals versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, Steve Kerr had to play Kuminga again.
The 22-year-old Kuminga has played well in the Warriors-Timberwolves series. The forward is averaging 19.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.8 blocks while shooting 57.4% from the field, 50.0% from 3 and 79.2% from the free-throw line.
Some have wondered why Kerr benched Kuminga to begin with since the swingman has proven to be a talented scorer. Well, according to Logan Murdock of The Ringer, Kerr was angry with Kuminga because the youngster kept looking off Curry on offense.
“Despite his talent, Kuminga’s propensity to look for his shot at the expense of the flow of Golden State’s offense has irked the coaching staff,” Murdok wrote. “During a late-season game against the Blazers, team sources say Kerr was incensed after several instances in which Kuminga looked off Curry to create his own offense.
“Kuminga subsequently received DNPs in the Warriors’ regular-season finale against the Clippers and then again in their play-in matchup against the Grizzlies. By the start of the playoffs, many within the organization wondered whether Kuminga, who is eligible for an extension, had played his last game as a Warrior.”
Golden State Warriors stars Steph Curry and Jonathan KumingaNeville E. Guard-Imagn Images
Kuminga becomes a restricted free agent this summer. As a restricted free agent, Kuminga can either re-sign with the Warriors or sign an offer sheet with another team.
If Kuminga signs an offer sheet with another team, the Warriors would have 48 hours to match the deal or let Kuminga walk.
Golden State is down 3-1 to the Timberwolves. Kuminga will play heavy minutes in Game 5 since Curry is still injured.