The Golden State Warriors understood the risk of bringing Jonathan Kuminga back on a short-term deal after spending months negotiating trades for him.
Everybody on the outside warned about the potential headache the situation could become. Steve Kerr doesn’t make the roster moves for the Warriors, but he gets to choose who plays and when they do. And when it comes to Kuminga this season, his role hasn’t been existent.
That leads to many questions, which ultimately leaves Kerr to fire this question back: Why are we constantly talking about just one guy?
Steve Kerr Speaks on the Kuminga Discussion
“He’s one of 15 guys on our team,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game on Wednesday.
“He’s a talented player, but we have a lot of guys who are really good, who can play basketball, who can help us win, and I think there’s just been a ton of focus on him, and my focus is always on the entire group and trying to help every single one of them. And it’s, for whatever reason, he’s been the focal point for the media, for the fans.”
The obvious contract standoff over the summer started it all. Kuminga’s camp reportedly wanted a player option on a new deal, while the Warriors’ front office wanted to hold the leverage with a team option.
A trade was discussed with the Sacramento Kings. Ultimately, the two parties didn’t seem to get very far, leaving Kuminga and the Warriors to figure things out. Kuminga was wise to secure the biggest short-term deal he could get from a financial standpoint, but the downside of the deal has been hitting him.
Fans and media have wanted answers from Kerr, who refuses to look at the situation under a microscope.
“I believe in looking at the team as a whole, and that’s always my focus is,” Kerr added. “What do I have to do to help the team win, and help each individual player achieve his potential?”
How Can Potential Be Achieved?
There’s the disconnect, which ultimately lands Kerr and the Warriors in this very situation.
Kuminga desired a bigger role heading into year five. What he got was just 19 games played through late January. Sitting on the bench won’t help him find a groove with a Warriors team that could use the experience and an extra body. Sitting on the bench won’t help him build his draft stock if that’s the route the Warriors would ultimately want to take.
Steve Kerr has done more than enough for the Warriors’ organization to earn the trust of the front office, but it’s hard for fans to be content with seeing a $22.5 million player sit on the bench while the team struggles to find consistency without him.
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