SAN FRANCISCO – Jonathan Kuminga has returned to the Warriors rotation, occupying a position as sturdy as a late-game Jenga tower.
He began the season as the unquestioned starter next to Jimmy Butler, missed seven games with injury, came back and produced lackluster results, and was then yanked from Steve Kerr’s rotation entirely for three games before playing 10 minutes against Phoenix on Thursday.
Kuminga scored two points on 1 of 5 shooting, but also grabbed four rebounds in his limited action.
“He was good, and we wanted him to get out there and use his speed and athleticism, set screens and dive, and he had a good pass to Gui (Santos) in the pocket,” Kerr said. “It was good to see him back out there, and like I’ve said, he’s handled himself really well this last week and I wanted to reward that.”
His return to the rotation could be short-lived, as Kuminga was listed on Saturday’s injury report as questionable with an illness.
Kuminga’s winding Warriors saga has entered another, possibly final chapter as the Jan. 15 trade date – the earliest he can be traded since he signed a $46 million extension in the summer – and Feb. 5 trade deadline approach.
Both Kerr and Kuminga have publicly stated that they have an amicable relationship, but after five seasons, a split might benefit all parties.
He is the team’s biggest trade chip, and national media outlets have reported that teams such as the Kings and Pelicans possess interest in the 23-year-old.
The Warriors could also have interest in making a move, and not just to finally separate themselves from Kuminga.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported on 95.7 The Game that the team could be willing to trade what are expected to be post-Steph Curry era first-round picks for an immediate contributor, should the team appear one pick away from contention.
But right now, the Warriors appear light years away from being on the level of the rest of the NBA’s elite. They entered Sunday’s matchup against the Suns with a 13-15 record and as losers of three consecutive.
Hypothetically, Kuminga would provide the size (6-foot-7) and athleticism the team desperately needs on both sides of the ball. But in reality, Kuminga has only flashed the passing, defensive and in-structure scoring chops the Warriors desire.
In February, the Warriors turned their season around by making a move for Jimmy Butler, shipping off Andrew Wiggins to Miami. A year later, it could be another Golden State wing who is the centerpiece of a season-changing move.
More injury updates
Al Horford (sciatica) remained out for the sixth consecutive game. Though the team announced that the sciatica is no longer an issue, Kerr said the 39-year-old will need at least a week to ‘ramp up’ his conditioning.
Horford has played in just 13 games this season. Meanwhile, Seth Curry was ruled out with a glute injury.
More Dillon Brooks news
Unapologetic Suns guard Dillon Brooks earned a flagrant foul late in Thursday’s game when he struck Steph Curry in the midsection long after the shooter’s 3-point shot in the corner had been released.
While that will remain on his resume, the technical foul he earned by getting into a brief confrontation with Moses Moody was rescinded by the league after an investigation, the NBA announced Saturday morning.
Brooks now has only a league-leading eight technical fouls and just one flagrant foul on the season.
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