Jonathan Kuminga addresses report about Steve Kerr rift
Dec 28, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) stands on the court before the start of the game against the Miami Heat at the Chase Center. Photo Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga addressed reports of a rift with coach Steve Kerr over playing time and development after Friday’s game.
Kuminga and Kerr met on Friday prior to the Warriors’ win over Detroit, and the meeting apparently did a lot to assuage whatever concerns Kuminga had. The former lottery pick added that he loves it in Golden State, and that the meeting was very helpful in terms of improving communication between the two.
“I love it here,” Kuminga said, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I got drafted here. There’s always ups and downs. I feel like when you look at all the ups and downs, that will confuse a lot of people. But I know Steve believes in me. I know he trusts me at this point. It was just more about communication and better understanding. It was no beef. None of that. Scratch whatever happens. It’s the past. Move on with better understanding and hope we all can work with each other and help this team and leave everything in the past.”
Kuminga said he and Kerr discussed what he needed to do to earn more minutes, and that the meeting went a long way toward helping him feel more comfortable going to his coach with concerns.
“Just us having that conversation today made me more comfortable that any time I have something to ask, I should just go up to his office. His door is open. Go up there and chill and wait for him to come back whenever,” Kuminga said.
A report on Friday indicated that Kuminga had lost faith in Kerr to fully develop him after he was limited to 19 minutes in a loss to Denver. The coach’s public response was to remind Kuminga that his door was always open to talk over such things.
Kuminga wound up playing a season-high 36 minutes in Friday’s win, so perhaps his comments did have an impact.
