The Golden State Warriors are officially on the clock. As of January 15, Jonathan Kuminga is trade-eligible, and the franchise has just a few short weeks-until the February 5 NBA trade deadline-to figure out what’s next for the 21-year-old forward. After a stretch of inconsistent usage, healthy scratches, and mounting frustration, the clock is ticking on what feels like an inevitable split between team and player.
For Warriors fans, the Kuminga saga has been a long, puzzling ride. From flashes of brilliance to long stints on the bench, the former lottery pick has never quite found stable footing in Steve Kerr’s rotation. And now, with the team stuck in another up-and-down season, the tension is bubbling over-not just inside the locker room, but outside of it too.
Former NBA guard and current NBC Sports analyst Austin Rivers didn’t hold back when he addressed the situation on his podcast, Off Guard. Rivers, who’s never been one to mince words, called the handling of Kuminga “complete bullsh*t,” pointing to the forward’s scoring potential and athletic upside as reasons he should be a consistent contributor on a team that’s clearly searching for answers.
“This is a 20-point per game caliber player,” Rivers said. “I know this because he’s done it.
When guys were hurt, he literally averaged 20-plus for a month and some change.” Rivers recalled a playoff game where Kuminga came off the bench and dropped 30, only to find himself back in the shadows soon after.
And the numbers back up the confusion. Kuminga has appeared in just 18 games this season, averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 43.1% shooting from the field and 32% from deep.
He started the first 12 games of the season before falling out of favor. Since December 18, he hasn’t played a single minute-despite being healthy and active.
This isn’t just a case of a young player struggling to find his role. It’s become emblematic of a larger identity crisis for a Warriors team that’s trying to bridge eras-balancing the tail end of the Curry-Draymond core with the development of younger talent. And Kuminga, with his explosive athleticism and scoring instincts, has become the poster child for that struggle.
“He’s a freak talent,” Rivers said. “He does things on the court-jumping-wise, explosion-wise-that make people go ‘whoa.’ How the hell can this guy not get a minute on a sorry-ass Warriors team?!”
Rivers didn’t stop there. He questioned the logic behind Kuminga sitting while less heralded players get rotation minutes. He name-dropped Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski-both of whom have shown promise-but also pointed out that Kuminga brings a different kind of skillset, one that Golden State sorely lacks.
“The Warriors half the time struggle to score,” Rivers said. “And they’ve got a 20-point per game player sitting at the end of the bench because the coach doesn’t like him.
It’s personal. And I know this because I’m close to Kuminga’s camp.”
That last line adds another layer to the story. Rivers has connections to the Warriors' inner circle-his sister Callie is married to Seth Curry, Steph’s brother-so his comments carry weight. And while he didn’t go into detail, he hinted at behind-the-scenes issues that go beyond basketball.
The biggest on-court hurdle, according to the team, is fit. Head coach Steve Kerr has cited the difficulty of playing Kuminga alongside Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler-three players who aren’t known for their shooting. After acquiring Butler last season, the Warriors have struggled to find a lineup balance that works, particularly when spacing becomes tight.
But Rivers wasn’t buying that excuse.
“Who else on the team is a knockdown shooter besides Steph?” he asked.
“Everyone says Kuminga doesn’t fit because he’s a non-shooter. Man, the whole team is non-shooters!
No one shoots but Steph!”
And he has a point. Outside of Curry’s gravity, the Warriors have leaned heavily on role players who are still developing their outside shots.
Butler, Green, Gary Payton II-none of them stretch the floor. So why is Kuminga being singled out?
“Them bringing in Jimmy, who’s a replica of what Kuminga does in some ways, is the biggest contradiction,” Rivers said. “Kuminga probably saw that and was like, ‘Wait, then why did y’all never play me?’”
Austin Rivers says the Jonathan Kuminga situation is bull sh*t and personal
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 16, 2026
“This is a 20 point per game caliber player. I know this because he’s done it. He is a freak talent and athlete. How the hell can this guy not get a minute on a sorry a** Warriors team? It drives me… pic.twitter.com/Vl2YGGEUqm
It’s a fair question. And it cuts to the core of the Warriors’ current dilemma.
They’ve leaned into veterans who “know how to play with Steph,” as Rivers put it, but in doing so, may have alienated one of their most dynamic young players. Kuminga might not be a perfect fit in Golden State’s motion-heavy system, but he’s a 6-foot-8 athlete who can score in bunches-and that’s not easy to find.
Now, with the trade deadline looming, the Warriors are facing a critical decision. Do they finally move on from Kuminga and try to get value for a player who’s clearly not in their long-term plans? Or do they find a way to reintegrate him into the rotation before it’s too late?
Either way, the clock is ticking. And if the Warriors don’t act soon, they risk letting a high-upside talent walk out the door without ever truly seeing what he could become in their system.