The situation between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors has taken a sharp turn, and it’s drawing attention from voices around the league - including former NBA guard Austin Rivers, who isn’t holding back.
Thursday marked a key date on the NBA calendar: the moment the Warriors became eligible to trade Kuminga. And right on cue, a formal trade request was made. The writing’s been on the wall for a while now, but this move made it official - the tension between player and team has reached a breaking point.
Rivers, watching from afar, made it clear he’s firmly in Kuminga’s corner. “This is a 20-point per game caliber player,” he said this week.
“I know this because he’s done it. He is a freak talent and athlete.”
And then came the frustration - not just from Kuminga, but from Rivers himself.
“How the hell can this guy not get a minute on a sorry a** Warriors team? It drives me crazy,” Rivers said. “I watch this piss poor a** Warriors team play and I’m like how the f*** is this guy not getting off the bench?”
It’s not just emotion talking here. The numbers back up some of the confusion.
Kuminga started the season in the Warriors’ starting five, but his role quickly evaporated. He wasn’t gradually phased out - it was abrupt.
After starting 13 games, he went from rotation player to racking up DNPs (Did Not Play) in a hurry. November 14 marked his first benching, and he didn’t see the floor again until November 29.
Since that return, Kuminga has played in just four games. His last appearance came nearly a month ago, logging nine minutes against the Phoenix Suns. That’s not exactly a runway for development - or production.
Even with limited opportunity, Kuminga was putting up 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 24.8 minutes per game. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but they’re solid - especially for a young player still trying to find his role in a veteran-heavy system. But without consistent minutes, rhythm and confidence are hard to come by.
Steve Kerr’s system has always required patience and basketball IQ, traits that often come with time. But Kuminga, a hyper-athletic forward with clear upside, hasn’t been given that time this season. And now, it seems like both sides are ready for a change.
There’s no indication yet where Kuminga might land, but with the trade deadline approaching in February, the clock is ticking. What’s clear is that Rivers - and likely many others - believe Kuminga deserves a real shot somewhere, whether that’s in Golden State or elsewhere.
For now, the Warriors have a decision to make: find a way to make it work with Kuminga, or move him to a team that will. Either way, this saga feels like it’s nearing its end.