Golden State: Steve Kerr responds to Jonathan Kuminga controversy
Is Jonathan Kuminga frustrated? Steve Kerr responds. The Warriors coach says he understands the young Congolese player's situation.
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On the night of Thursday 04 to Friday 05 January 2024, Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished out 4 assists against Denver (127-130 defeat). Yet, oddly, the Congolese player spent the final 18 minutes of the game on the bench, watching helplessly as his side lost. Inevitably, rumours began to swirl about the 21-year-old Congolese player wanting out. According to insider Shams Charania, the forward no longer trusts Steve Kerr. He reports that the Kuminga camp believes the coach cannot unlock the player's full potential. And with the trade deadline on 08 February, there is plenty to feed the rumour mill.
Nevertheless, Jonathan Kuminga got more court time in the 113-109 win over Detroit last night. He played 36 minutes (a season high), with 11 points and 6 rebounds along the way. After the game, Steve Kerr was keen to smooth things over. "It's a difficult situation because every player naturally has their own goals, their own dreams. Everybody wants to flourish. Everybody wants to shine... I have very tough decisions to make every night", he began by saying.
"Kuminga is a young player who has to grow"
Steve Kerr then compared Jonathan Kuminga with all the other players, who all want to play. "JK is a young player who is growing. He's improving. That's why he's a starter. I played for 15 years, and during those 15 years, I was frustrated by my playing time. That's how it works. This is the most competitive and the most lucrative league in the world. Every team has 15 to 17 players who are dying to play. So everybody is frustrated. To succeed in this league, you have to learn to handle that frustration. (...) If you have a problem, I'm here. I'm probably the most accessible coach in the league. My door is always open".
It remains to be seen whether the Jonathan Kuminga camp will be satisfied with these comments. But there is no doubt other teams will be keeping an eye on the 21-year-old, whose technical and athletic qualities attract plenty of interest.
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1743325699350401078