Jonathan Kuminga received his second-straight DNP against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, with that coming despite the absence of Draymond Green and after the young forward had played well against the same opposition in last season's playoffs.
Kuminga's lack of playing time was again a talking point in the aftermath of the 127-120 loss, but this time Steve Kerr's argument didn't entirely make sense and made the 23-year-old's DNP look even more confusing.
Jonathan Kuminga benching looks worse after Steve Kerr's comments
When asked about Kuminga's role following the game, Kerr referenced fellow young forward Gui Santos who has seemingly usurped him in the rotation over recent games.
"You saw Gui come in for six minutes and he lit up the crowd with his energy and the ball movement. That was maybe the best stretch of the game for our offense, just with flow," Kerr said.
Steve Kerr on another Jonathan Kuminga DNP: “Right now it’s where things are. You saw Gui come in there for 6 minutes and lit up the crowd with his energy. The ball movement, the was maybe the best stretch of the game for our offense just with the flow.” pic.twitter.com/M05ZTK3Ply
— Marc Grandi (@MarcGrandi) December 13, 2025
It's justifiable to have Santos over Kuminga in the rotation based on their recent impact and form, particularly looking at last Saturday's shock win over the Cleveland Cavaliers -- Santos had 14 points, three rebounds and three rebounds, while Kuminga had four points on only 1-of-10 shooting from the floor.
What's far more questionable is the fact Santos only played six minutes himself despite Kerr acknowledging that the Brazilian had some impact. Neither Santos nor Kuminga played at all in the first-quarter, with Kerr preferring to cycle through his list of guards which included starting Pat Spencer and Buddy Hield.
Once Green is back from his three-game absence due to a mid-foot sprain and personal reason, you could understand both Santos and Kuminga being out of the rotation. Yet having them play just six combined minutes minus Green against a big Timberwolves team is almost inexcusable, not to mention the fact Al Horford was also out as he continues to manage sciatic irritation.
Kuminga gave a positive response to his axing from the rotation last Sunday, stating that "as long as things are working out there and we winning, I don’t see the point of switching anything.”
However, that was in the aftermath of a dominant 32-point win over the Chicago Bulls. What would he make of it now after a game the Warriors lost at home to a Timberwolves team playing without superstar guard Anthony Edwards?
Can Kuminga work his way back into the rotation as a result? With Green likely to return in Portland on Sunday, it doesn't appear things will get any easier for the former seventh overall pick.