Jonathan Kuminga Targets Saturday Return Against Pelicans
jonathan-kuminga-targets-saturday-return-against-pelicans
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga expects to be back on the court for Saturday’s home matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans after completing a scrimmage with the club’s G League affiliate on Wednesday, he told ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
The 21-year-old has missed the last seven games while dealing with bilateral knee tendinitis. Team officials initially listed him as day-to-day, but lingering soreness has sidelined him for more than two weeks.
Kuminga opened the season in the starting five, logging starts in Golden State’s first 12 contests. His strong play during the first week of October prompted head coach Steve Kerr to declare that the fifth-year forward had secured a permanent starting role. Production slipped in early November, however, and Kerr shifted Kuminga to the second unit for his most recent appearance on Nov. 12 in San Antonio.
How Kerr will deploy Kuminga on his return remains unclear, but the Warriors are searching for offensive help. Star guard Stephen Curry exited Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets with a quad contusion and could miss time, further straining a unit that already ranks 22nd in the NBA with a 113.2 offensive rating. Each of the eight teams below Golden State in that metric is at least five games under .500.
Source: Hoops Rumors
