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Stephen Curry #30 congratulates Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors during their game against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on December 19, 2023 in San Francisco, California.
Veteran Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry sympathizes with Jonathan Kuminga, who received his first healthy DNP of the season last Sunday and is widely expected to be moved before the Feb. 5 deadline.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Curry urged the Congolese forward not to lose his “spirit” and to stay engaged even though his days in Golden State are numbered.
“Really, the hardest part is, whether it’s going well or whether it’s not, (is) not losing your spirit,” Curry advised the 23-year-old forward, via The Athletic. “That’s been JK’s challenge as a young player. Things change so quickly, and there’s all these declarations about who he is as a player, and does he fit, and all that type of stuff.”
Steph Curry on Kuminga’s situation and the partnership between player and organization to figure it out:
“The hardest part is whether it’s going well or not, not losing your spirit. That’s been JK’s challenge as a young player… We still have high hopes he’ll impact our team.”
Kuminga Trade Rumors
Kuminga began the 2025-26 season with a bang, averaging 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 55% shooting through his first six games in October. However, he lost his starting role within the first 10 games of the season and has gradually seen his minutes drop. The fifth-year forward averaged only 24.2 minutes in eight games in November, and that number is down to 19.1 through three games this month.
Despite Kuminga’s regressing role, Curry remains optimistic that he can find his niche on a Warriors team that could use a high-level athlete like him.
“We still have high hopes that he’ll impact our team this year,” Curry said of Kuminga.
“But it’s just an idea you can’t lose your spirit when things aren’t going your way, because you’re a game or two away from it coming right back to you. And if you’ve checked out, or if you’re still not engaged in the learning process, then you might miss your moment on the back end. So it is a back-and-forth, and it’s the responsibility of both sides. As a team, it’s our job to support him because we know he’s a great dude, a very talented player, (and) we still have belief that he can help us.”
Kuminga Trade Inevitable?
Since there’s a Player Option in Kuminga’s two-year, $46.8 million deal, teams around the league view him as a low-risk acquisition. Essentially, the team that acquires him can give him a four-month test run before reassessing his future in the 2026 offseason.
When the 2025-26 season started, the Warriors reportedly knew they wouldn’t have much trouble moving Kuminga, given the risk-free terms of his contract. That’s precisely why at least five teams — including the Chicago Bulls — have been earmarked as Kuminga trade suitors when he becomes eligible to be moved on Jan. 15.
For the Warriors, there’s no longer a question of “tanking” Kuminga’s trade value, which is why Steve Kerr isn’t obligated to play him extended minutes.
Despite the bizarre circumstances, Curry wants Kuminga to keep his chin up.
“Everybody’s journey is a little different, but (there’s) that balance of who you think you are as a player versus what a team needs you to do in any given moment throughout a year,” Curry said. “Then, also, what is gonna help that team win, where is the league going and what kind of role can you establish? All those things, you have to kind of assess on a daily basis.”
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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