After a couple of close and hard-fought victories against the San Antonio Spurs, things are looking up for the Golden State Warriors. The same can't be said for Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who is battling knee tendinitis and was also recently benched.
The new Warriors' starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Will Richard, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green prioritizes spacing and speed for Golden State. That is likely a better starting five for Golden State going forward, though it puts Kuminga's status with the team in limbo.
He had a strong start to the season, but he slowly began to fade prior to his knee injury. Now, he is battling a nagging injury issue and will have to adjust to his new role upon his return. With him in a contract season, all eyes will be on how he plays once he does, and Green recently spoke out about Kuminga's role with the team.
"He's been one of the most bought in guys on our team this season, he's not [what] y'all make him out to be," Green said about Kuminga.
Green is known for being outspoken, but he offered support to Kuminga, which should help ease criticism.
Draymond Green offers full support to Jonathan Kuminga
The pressure on Kuminga to perform in what could be a contract year may be weighing on him, and while he got off to a strong start, he began to cool off.
Hopefully, he will revert back to how he played to start the season when he showed improvement as a defender and as a passer, making him a crucial member of the Warriors' rotation. The Warriors should certainly hope so.
After all, while they appear willing to trade him, they could also use him if he can contribute. Golden State has had a spotty record of developing talent, but players such as Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Will Richards have emerged as key rotation players and are all under the age of 25.
That is key considering that the Warriors are the oldest team in the NBA and desperately need an influx of young talent, with Kuminga being the most talented young player they have. If Green believes that he can contribute and help the Warriors, then maybe fans and the organization should too.
All told, the Warriors' recent lineup change had less to do with Kuminga and more to do with them adding more spacing around Steph Curry. However, the lineup change doesn't bode well for Kuminga. Once healthy, he will have another chance to prove himself in the hopes of establishing himself as a crucial player on the Warriors going forward.