The Golden State Warriors have built a team with championship aspirations, but it's free agent Jonathan Kuminga who remains their best bet at generating points in the paint. It's a truth that's becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore after the Warriors officially began their offseason activity on Sep. 28.
For as intriguing as the Warriors' decisions in free agency have been, Kuminga is still their only reliable source of consistent dribble penetration and finishing in the paint.
Kuminga finished the 2024-25 season with an average of 8.5 points in the paint per game. Jimmy Butler wasn't far behind at 8.2, and Stephen Curry provided a sufficient 5.4, which admittedly pokes holes in the theory that the Warriors lack alternative sources of interior scoring.
Context is crucial, however, and it reveals more damning numbers: Kuminga averaged 12.5 points in the paint per 36 minutes to Butler's 9.0 and Curry's 6.0.
Butler's figure is still solid, much as Curry's is, but per-36 averages aren't the only context to keep in mind. Butler recently turned 36 and will turn 38 in 2025-26, and both have produced a downward trend in points in the paint per 36 minutes over the past three seasons.
With Father Time a factor and Gary Payton II's scarce playing time inherently limiting his impact as a slasher, Kuminga remains the Warriors' best option for points in the paint.
Jonathan Kuminga fills Warriors' vital need for points in the paint
it's easy to argue that Golden State has long proven that jump shooting teams can win championships. Between Curry's three-point excellence and Butler's midrange brilliance, there's ample reason to believe the Warriors' superstar duo can lead the team to the promised land.
Teams that struggle to generate the most efficient of points, however, typically overburden themselves with the type of shots that fall less frequently.
The counterpoint would be that Golden State ranked No. 25 in the NBA in points in the paint when it won the 2022 championship, but that again lacks context. Kuminga ranked sixth among players who were active for at least 100 minutes and No. 1 among perimeter players in points in the paint per 36 minutes during the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole, meanwhile, combined for 21.3 points in the paint per game—a reliable enough output to pace the Warriors' offense.
In 2025-26, it's unclear if Golden State will be able to rely on any trio for that same level of consistency. Butler and Curry are two of the best postseason performers of all time, but time is exactly what's working against them.
It's within the realm of possibility that their greatest value will be as midrange and three-point shooters, with the tall task of consistently getting to the rim unrealistic for them to complete.
Kuminga, meanwhile, is willing and able to make those plays on a consistent basis. His production is proof positive, with a ranking of No. 9 in points in the paint per 36 minutes during the 2025 NBA Playoffs showing once more how valuable he can be.
Kuminga needs to work on other elements of his game, but the fact remains that the Warriors are devoid of other consistent options as far as creating points in the paint is concerned.