"Nobody could get around him; he’s so explosive and powerful"- Steve Kerr hails Jonathan Kuminga's switchability, says his defense was incredible on-ball switching
The Golden State Warriors are set to defend their NBA Championship. This year’s title defense will depend on the health and performance of their established core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. They will also need help from their new younger stars who will also be the building blocks for their future. One of those young building blocks is their young power forward Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga was a solid contributor to the team last season, playing in 70 contests for the team and averaging 9.3 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game. The young player did receive as much playing time during their playoff runs last season as rotations got smaller during the postseason. Coach Steve Kerr has high hopes for Kuminga this season and expects him to have an impact on defense.
"His defense was incredible on-ball switching. Nobody could get around him. He’s so explosive and powerful. In a switching lineup, he’s really shown to be effective." - Steve Kerr
Kuminga's Impact on Future Plans
The Warriors upper management are hoping Kuminga can be the defensive presence that Kerr believes he can be. The team’s success has come at a cost, and they will be trying to figure out how to help manage that in the future. The team is currently over their allotted salary cap with the NBA and is currently paying a luxury tax.
To alleviate some of their cap issues, the organization will have to make some hard decisions on personnel. They have already re-signed wingmen Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins for the next 4 years. With the development of inside men like James Wiseman, Kevon Looney and Jonathan Kuminga, it may allow the team to part ways with Draymond Green and keep the ship full steam ahead.
With the recent events of Green punching Poole, combined with his diminished play on the offensive end of the floor, it may be time for the Warriors to move on. Draymond does provide a unique defensive presence on the floor and if Kuminga can fill that hole, it would be a lot easier on the organization. Green does want a max extension as his contract expires at the end of the season. The team is unlikely to commit to that heavy of a price tag on a player who is not producing like they used to.
The team is set to have a cap number that can exceed $500 million next season. That includes if Green opts in to his $27.6 million player option. So, it may be wise of the team to move on from him before the trade deadline this season. That will depend a lot on what they see from Kuminga.