He was supposed to be the future. Explosive. Versatile. Untouchable. Now? He’s watching from the bench. No minutes. No explanations. No sign that things will change.
Jonathan Kuminga was supposed to be part of the Warriors’ next chapter. But as Golden State heads into the postseason, the writing on the wall is getting harder to ignore.
Benched. Omitted. Ignored. One of the Warriors’ most promising young talents is now on the outside looking in. And it’s not just about rotations. It’s about relationships. Philosophies. And ultimately, a future that looks less and less like it will be in the Bay.
“The likely situation is [Jonathan Kuminga]’s not going to be on the Warriors next season,” said Tim Kawakami on 95.7 The Game. “It was probably going to be a tricky situation for him to come back anyway.”
In the biggest games of the season, Steve Kerr made it clear: Jonathan Kuminga isn’t part of the plan. In the regular-season finale loss to the Clippers and the play-in victory over the Grizzlies, Kuminga didn’t play a single minute. Not even a single possession.
Kerr refused to offer insight into why. It follows a now-familiar pattern: cryptic rotations, sudden DNPs, and increasing tension between Kuminga’s playing style and Kerr’s system. “There doesn’t need to be a referendum every single night on JK,” Kerr said earlier in April. “He’s a young guy and he’s helping us win games. But we have other guys who help us win games.”
That quote said more than it tried not to say. And for Kuminga, it feels like déjà vu. The same organizational tension that pushed James Wiseman out the door is starting to take shape again. Tim Kawakami even pointed out the parallel:
“[Joe Lacob] loved James Wiseman. Maybe it’s the same thing with Kuminga. Eventually, Steve Kerr decided Wiseman couldn’t fit with what they were doing, and he was dead on right.”
And insider Tim Kawakami further added: “I don’t know that he’s going to be galloping to sign a new deal with the Warriors given all this.”
The signs are everywhere. Even team governor Joe Lacob, who has been a vocal supporter of Kuminga in the past, has gone quiet. Fans have noticed.
(This is a developing story…)
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