Warriors Bench Jonathan Kuminga as Steve Kerr Revamps Starting Lineup
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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reshuffled his rotation before Wednesday night’s game in San Antonio, unveiling a starting five that did not include forward Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga had opened the team’s first 12 contests, earning what Kerr described on Oct. 28 as a “full-time” spot after starting only 10 times the previous season. The 21-year-old was assigned to guard stars such as Ja Morant and James Harden earlier in the campaign.
6-6 Record Prompts Change
The Warriors arrived in Texas on a six-game road skid and having dropped five of their last seven overall. “It’s very clear we’ve been a little clunky recently,” Kerr told reporters pre-game, adding that lineup data indicated the need for adjustments.
Will Richard Moves In
Rookie guard Will Richard replaced Kuminga alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody. The appearance marked Richard’s second career start; he entered the night averaging 10.0 points while shooting 58.6 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from three-point range across 10 games.
Kerr praised the second-round pick earlier in the week, saying Richard “constantly makes the right cut [and] the right pass” and predicting he would “contribute quite a bit for us this year.”
Kuminga’s Season to Date
Despite the demotion, Kuminga is producing career-best numbers: 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 27.7 minutes per game through 13 outings. He signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract last month that includes a team option for the second season.
The Warriors improved to 7-6 with Wednesday’s win. Their four-game trip continues Friday with another matchup in San Antonio, followed by visits to New Orleans, Orlando, and Miami.
Source: Basketball Insiders
