Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors needed to part ways before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Neither party was benefiting from Kuminga’s presence in the Bay, making their Feb. 4 trade (Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis) necessary in every way imaginable.
A week after the deal, ESPN’s Anthony Slater released a bombshell report revealing behind-the-scenes drama between Kuminga and head coach Steve Kerr.
“Kerr never had much success reaching Kuminga on a deeper level, typically one of his coaching superpowers,” Slater wrote Wednesday. “He’d given him handwritten notes, sent long text messages, tried to connect. But Kuminga rarely reciprocated. Kuminga normally responded dispassionately and sporadically.”
“In ESPN’s several conversations with Kuminga over the past five years, it became increasingly clear that he viewed Kerr as the figure most responsible for holding back his career, long defined not by progression but rather inconsistency, inexplicable DNPs, and tension.”
Kuminga couldn’t win in the situation he was in with the Warriors. The 6-foot-7 NBA champion forward was in Kerr’s doghouse toward the end of his Golden State tenure and was poised to continue on a downward trajectory.
Luckily for Kuminga, Mike Dunleavy Jr. swooped in and saved the day before the trade season ended. By joining the Hawks, Kuminga will have a chance to leave his drama-filled past behind and embark on a new NBA adventure that could help him regain his confidence.
Kuminga averaged 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in a Warriors uniform, shooting 50.3% from the field and 33.1% from long range in 278 total contests. The 23-year-old former lottery pick should be relieved that he’s finally free from Kerr and the Warriors.
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