The Jonathan Kuminga situation in Golden State has been anything but straightforward. It’s a story that’s stretched across seasons, filled with flashes of brilliance, frustrating benchings, contract drama, and now, a sudden reentry into the starting lineup under less-than-ideal circumstances. Add in a high-profile injury and a trade request, and you’ve got one of the most compelling subplots of the Warriors’ season.
Let’s rewind for a moment. Kuminga’s minutes were sporadic during last year’s playoffs.
He barely saw the floor in the first round, then stepped up when Steph Curry was sidelined in the second. That inconsistency has been a recurring theme - and not just in the postseason.
His role has fluctuated all season long in 2025-26, and just when it seemed like things might be stabilizing, he asked out. Then, almost immediately, Jimmy Butler goes down with a torn ACL, and suddenly, Kuminga’s back in the starting five.
It’s a wild turn of events, and for a young player trying to find his footing in the league, it’s a lot to process.
Before his recent injury, Kuminga was making the most of his opportunity. In just a game and a half - split between the Raptors and Mavericks - he poured in 30 points in 30 minutes, doing it efficiently and with confidence. But now he’s sidelined again, this time with an ankle and knee issue that’ll keep him out of at least the upcoming matchup against the Timberwolves.
Carmelo Anthony Weighs In
On the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast this week, Carmelo Anthony - now an NBC studio analyst - offered a candid take on Kuminga’s situation. Melo’s been around the league long enough to understand the nuance between talent and fit, and he didn’t hold back when talking about Kuminga’s struggles to carve out a consistent role in Steve Kerr’s system.
“Steve Kerr is not coaching potential. He’s coaching the system,” Anthony said.
“For them to not play you 16 straight games - there’s been times when you play the whole bench and still ain’t play that man. So that’s telling me, you really ain’t f*** with me.”
That’s a raw, honest take - and one that probably resonates with a lot of young players who’ve been caught between development and winning now. Kuminga’s frustration, according to Anthony, is understandable.
When you’re not getting minutes - not even in garbage time - it sends a message. And for a 21-year-old still trying to find his place, that message can be hard to swallow.
Anthony also touched on the challenge of flipping the switch mentally. One week you’re out of the rotation and asking for a trade, the next you’re being asked to step in as a key piece due to Butler’s injury.
“He’s going to play,” Anthony said. “It’s just, how do you expect the mindset to shift like that when I know you don’t really f*** with me like that?”
It’s a fair question. Trust and consistency matter, especially for young players.
And in Golden State’s case, the clock is ticking. As Anthony pointed out, the Warriors are still trying to compete while Steph Curry is at the top of his game.
But that window is closing. Kerr, Draymond Green, and Curry are all closer to the end than the beginning.
There’s urgency in the Bay - and the front office has some big decisions to make.
What’s Kuminga Worth - And What’s the Plan?
Anthony believes the Warriors could get real value back for Kuminga, and he’s not wrong. Physically, Kuminga is one of Golden State’s most intriguing assets outside of their core stars. Even with his inconsistent playing time, he’s shown enough flashes to make other teams take notice.
But here’s where things get tricky. If the Warriors are serious about maximizing their current window, they may need to go bigger than just a one-for-one swap. Kuminga alone could net them a solid role player, sure - but if they’re trying to replace Butler’s production and keep their playoff hopes alive, they’ll likely need to package him with something more.
That “something more” could be future draft picks - and that’s where the stakes get higher. Golden State’s picks in 2027 and beyond could be incredibly valuable, especially if Curry retires or takes a step back by then.
Trading those picks now would be a clear signal that the Warriors are all-in on the present. But doing so also mortgages a piece of their future.
So the question becomes: how far is Golden State willing to go to chase another title?
If they believe this group still has one more run in them, then a bold move makes sense. Pairing Kuminga with a future pick or two could land them a high-level contributor - someone who can help right now. But if they’re thinking longer-term, Kuminga might be worth holding onto, especially if he can stay healthy and continue to develop.
Either way, the Warriors are at a crossroads. The Jimmy Butler injury has forced their hand, and Kuminga’s trade request has only added another layer of complexity. What they do next could shape not just the rest of this season, but the next era of Warriors basketball.
Stay tuned. This story’s far from over.