The saga of Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors is one of the strangest in professional sports at the moment.
The 23 year-old has requested a trade after years of discontent and a fractured relationship with coach Steve Kerr. In spite of Kuminga flashing great potential and showing his scoring prowess, he has seen his role with the team constantly in flux.
And new NBA on NBC analyst Austin Rivers thinks it’s “bull—-.”
Rivers went scorched earth on the Warriors handling of Jonathan Kuminga and said that the reasons why he has been iced out in Golden State is personal between himself and Steve Kerr.
“This situation is complete bull—-,” Rivers declared. “The way they have treated Kuminga is something that I haven’t seen in quite a while. This is a 20 ppg caliber player. I know this because he’s done it. When guys are hurt he literally averaged 20+ for a month and some change. I’m not making this up, this happened. Last year he was in and out of the lineup, didn’t even play in the playoffs, then they bring him in one game off the bench he scores 30! In a playoff game! Kuminga is a freak talent and athlete.”
“How the hell can this guy not get a minute on a sorry ass Warriors team? It drives me crazy. I watched the Warriors all the time. I watch more basketball in my life than I ever have due to my new job at NBC. And I watch this piss poor ass Warriors team and I’m like how the f— does this guy not get off the bench? I’m watching Podziemski, Moody, a bunch of random ass players. And those guys are good, Moody’s solid, Podziemski’s solid. They’ve got other guys I’ve never heard of. Pat Spencer plays before f—— Kuminga!”
Austin Rivers then said that he is close to the camp of Jonathan Kuminga and knows some things about what is happening behind the scenes between him and Steve Kerr. In reality, that’s the only possible explanation within reason that could be happening with the Warriors at the moment. Of course, Steve Kerr and the Warriors front office probably have their own version of events that differs from Rivers’ perpsective.
Kuminga has proven himself to be a very capable scorer, even earlier this season when he averaged 17.5 PPG in October. But for whatever reason, it hasn’t worked out in Golden State. Hopefully it does elsewhere when he eventually gets a new opportunity.
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