5 Warriors whose roles aren't safe after the trade deadline
By Will Eudy
Jonathan Kuminga
The seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Jonathan Kuminga had some pretty lofty expectations placed on his shoulders from day one with the Warriors. Thankfully for his development, he was not asked to contribute in a huge role in his rookie year, playing just 16.9 minutes and only starting 12 games.
Since then though, he has become an integral part of the Warriors' rotation, culminating in what has been a breakout season of sorts for him this year. Kuminga has started in half the games he has played in 2023-24, putting up 15.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per night.
Around the turn of the new year, Kuminga was clearly growing frustrated with his role. He even reached out to NBA insider Shams Charania to tell him that he had growing frustration with Steve Kerr and no longer believed Kerr would allow him to reach his potential. Things were looking bleak for his future with the Warriors.
But since then, he has gone on a tear and has exhibited his scoring power, putting up a 30-point game as well as several outings scoring in the high 20s as well. Despite his uptick in playing time and production, there is no guarantee this role will continue to be there for him, as Kerr may opt to go back to the veterans once the playoffs roll around once again.