Jonathan Kuminga's alleged rift with Steve Kerr linked to Steph Curry incident, claims insider

NBA: Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors - Source: Imagn
Jonathan Kuminga's alleged rift with Steve Kerr linked to Steph Curry incident (Source: Imagn)

During his tenure with the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga has had a rocky relationship with the coaching staff. Ahead of their season potentially meeting its end, developments have come about regarding what caused this rift.

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Kuminga has shown flashes of becoming a promising talent in the NBA, but he's always been hot-and-cold with Steve Kerr. He found himself at the end of the bench constantly during the regular season and playoffs, and only started playing as of late due to injuries.

In a column for "The Ringer" on Wednesday, insider Logan Murdock touched on what has led to Kuminga's constant change in role within the Warriors. One issue has to do with his offensive style of play. Kerr does not like how aggressive he can be hunting for his shots, looking off Steph Curry and others to create for himself.

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"Despite his talent, Kuminga’s propensity to look for his shot at the expense of the flow of Golden State’s offense has irked the coaching staff. During a late-season game against the Blazers, team sources say Kerr was incensed after several instances in which Kuminga looked off Curry to create his own offense," Murdock wrote.
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Jonathan Kuminga speaks on stepping up in Steph Curry's absence

In their second-round matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves, things took a turn for the worse for the Warriors. Early in Game 1, Curry suffered a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined.

While Jonathan Kuminga didn't play much against the Houston Rockets, that has changed in the conference semifinals. In need of some kind of spark, Kerr has called on the former No. 7 pick to try and provide a boost. Kuminga has not let this opportunity go to waste. He's broken the 20-point mark in each of the last two games, including a 30-point barrage in Game 3.

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During an interview with Murdock, Kuminga touched on the mindset he's maintained despite his inconsistent minutes.

“You can’t just give up when you’re not in the game,” Kuminga said. “Either you’re wrong or you’re not getting your way. It’s the only way, it just keeps getting better."
“Keep staying poised and keep staying ready,” he added.

Jonathan Kuminga has a lot riding on these final opportunities to play. It will be a busy summer for him, as he is set to enter restricted free agency. Performing well could result in Kuminga's market expanding and possibly landing a sizable offer sheet this offseason.

Warriors Nation! You can check out the latest Golden State Warriors Schedule and dive into the Warriors Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Kevin McCormick
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