Al Horford has gotten some time to watch Jonathan Kuminga in practice and is immediately impressed by the young star.
With the tenuous summer now behind him, Jonathan Kuminga is focused on thriving with the Golden State Warriors next season.
Kuminga re-signed with the Warriors for $48.5 million last week, finally putting an end to their long-winding saga.
While Kuminga’s relationship with Steve Kerr is still frayed, the young star is determined to earn his spot in the rotation and show what he can bring to the table.
Stephen Curry showed support for Kuminga after their first preseason games. And it appears Kuminga has impressed another veteran – Al Horford.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesAl Horford is excited to play with Jonathan Kuminga, cites his athleticism as a strength
Al Horford spoke to reporters recently. When discussing his first impression of Jonathan Kuminga, the former NBA champion praised the young star.
He believes Kuminga’s athleticism, combined with his spacing and presence, gives the Warriors a new element that will benefit both of them, and the team as a whole.
“JK with his athleticism and the way that he moves and how much pressure he generates on the rim, it’s going to be great. I feel like, with me and him out there, I feel like I’ll be able to give him some space.
“He probably won’t always have a guy, an extra defender there, and if he does, then I’m going to be open. And either I’m going to shoot or we’re going to get a really good shot.
“He’s the type of player that’s just fun to play with, a guy like that, because of the pace that he wants to play at and how he wants to attack the basket.
“I actually enjoy playing in that way. And I know we played very little last game, but I’m sure that we’ll continue to play more and more and get more familiar with one another.”
Jonathan Kuminga could make big impact off the bench
As things stand, neither Kuminga nor Al Horford are guaranteed starters ahead of the new season. In fact, Steve Kerr prefers a Warriors lineup without Horford and Kuminga, at least as of now.
However, that doesn’t mean they can’t play big roles off the bench. Especially Kuminga, who is unlikely to usurp Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green in the starting lineup.
Kuminga can provide an athletic scoring boost off the bench with the second unit. In fact, if he can find his groove in this role, he could even earn an NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
For now, Kuminga must focus on making the most of the minutes Kerr and the Warriors give him. If he can impress the coaching staff, perhaps a starting role might become available later.