Golden State Warriors rookie Jonathan Kuminga may not get playoff minutes, but he’s been proving the franchise right for not trading away their 2021 lottery pick.
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In Saturday night’s win over the San Antonio Spurs, Kuminga went 6-for-from the field, dropping a team-high 18 points, along with four rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a team-best +9 plus-minus.
In the win, Kuminga did things for the Warriors that weren’t really expected of him as a rookie. Lauded as a physically gifted prospect, Kuminga was still considered a project due to his inconsistent shot and unrefined game.
Kuminga’s improvement was on full display on Saturday. The forward went 2-for-2 from deep (3-for-3 on jump shots overall) and dished a spectacular pinpoint full court assist to Gary Payton II.
Kuminga is QB1 🏈 pic.twitter.com/DjHqYgnvr3
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 10, 2022
It’s unclear at this point if Kuminga will be part of the Warriors’ playoff rotation. The Warriors will certainly sooner turn to proven veterans like Andre Iguodala. Even if he doesn’t get a chance to shine in the postseason, Kuminga has established himself as one of many Warriors poised for success in the near future.
In a down year – with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green injuries, Wiseman out for the year, Klay Thompson still coming back gradually – Kuminga has emerged, along with Jordan Poole, as yet another promising piece for the franchise.
In the last 25 games in which Kuminga saw the floor for more than 10 minutes, the rookie has averaged 13.5 points while shooting 52 percent from the field.
Kuminga’s 50.5 percent field goal percentage on the season is well above what was expected of him as a rookie, especially considering how rough he was thought of as a prospect. The youngster is second among all rookies in that stat category, and is 15th in three-point percentage, despite the concerns with his shot entering the draft.
In limited minutes, Jonathan Kuminga has exceeded expectations for the Warriors this season and further shown that the Warriors are in a good place moving forward.
If Kuminga doesn’t crack the playoff rotation, that shouldn’t be a blemish on his rookie season. He has blown past the expectations for his first year, and has shown that the Warriors made the right choice when they brought him on board last June.