As the Golden State Warriors secured a playoff spot with victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, Jonathan Kuminga was again a non-factor in his second-straight DNP as Steve Kerr finds his postseason rotation.
Kuminga's time with the Warriors appears to be nearing its conclusion, albeit things could turn around if Kerr believes he needs the young forward's size and athleticism against the Houston Rockets in the first-round.
The Warriors made a mistake at the 2021 NBA Draft
There's likely many aspects that Golden State will reflect upon in regard to Kuminga's development, but perhaps the biggest goes back to the start and their decision at the 2021 NBA Draft. The franchise's drafting over that two-year period in 2020 and 2021 has long drawn criticism, and they must now face the truth that they've blown two top 10 selections.
While Kuminga was sitting on the bench and not getting a single second for the Warriors on Tuesday night, Franz Wagner was a major piece in helping the Orlando Magic secure the seventh-seed in the Eastern Conference.
Wagner shot just 6-of-15 from the floor and missed all five of his 3-point attempts, but still had 13 points, a massive 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals in the 120-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at Kia Center.
Given Wagner was taken a pick behind Kuminga as the eighth overall pick in the 2021 Draft, the two young forwards have long been compared. Their opportunity however couldn't have been more contrasting, with Wagner having been afforded 30 minutes per game right from his rookie season.
The German forward has subsequently always been the more consistent player, and was rewarded prior to the season with a five-year, $224 million contract. Yet there's also been times where Kuminga has displayed higher upside, particularly with his athleticism and often unstoppable nature at the rim.
The issue is those occasions have been too fleeting and now time has almost run out. The inability to fully mesh with Steve Kerr's system has been an ongoing concern, even if Kuminga's natural talent has masked that at times.
Wagner's high IQ and versatility would have been a much better selection, albeit he may not have developed to the same level with Golden State as he has in Orlando. The Warriors gambled on the high upside athlete and are now paying the price.
To their credit, they've learned from their mistake and adjusted their draft thinking over the past two years. Brandin Podziemski as a 19th overall pick is a major hit, with the young guard demonstrating the sort of IQ and versatile skillset that fits so well with the team's veterans. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post as back-to-back picks in the fifties have also been huge wins and made immense impact in their respective rookie seasons.
Perhaps Kuminga can still turn it around in time, but it's also not hard to envision how much more potent and dangerous the Warriors could be right now had they taken Wagner instead.