Jonathan Kuminga's up-and-down fourth-season took another dive on Saturday, with the 22-year-old once again coming off the bench despite the absence of veteran forward Draymond Green.
Green's ankle issue appeared to open up another opportunity for Kuminga at the power-forward spot in Minnesota, only for Kerr to turn to Kyle Anderson as a starter against his former team.
It's time for the Warriors to dangle Jonathan Kuminga on the trade market
Kuminga had started six games in a row prior to Thursday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, putting up 20.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 blocks in that span on 49.1% shooting from the floor and 40% from 3-point range.
That period included a career-high, game-winning 33-point performance against the Houston Rockets, leading to a short-term experiment where Kuminga started at the four over Green.
The fact that experiment ended so quickly despite Kuminga's scoring production is one thing, but the fact he was unable to regain a starting role on Saturday is a fairly damning indication of his current place in the pecking order.
After Kuminga played just over 23 minutes off the bench against the Timberwolves, Steve Kerr was specifically asked whether or not the starting experiment was officially over.
"Not necessarily. You just don't know how circumstances are going to play out," Kerr responded. "You just don't know how these things are going to shake out."
It's another non-committal response from a head coach who's continually held the exact same attitude on Kuminga over recent years. The young forward shows promise but lacks consistently, not aided by constant uncertainty surrounding his role and playing time.
Kuminga's most recent stint in the starting lineup was supposed to be make-or-break, and Kerr decided it was break before the opportunity even fully developed. If Anderson is getting the start over Kuminga in Green's absence, that provides a pretty clear sign of what Golden State need to do -- seriously dangle the former seventh overall pick in trade talks to see what they can get in return.
Kuminga's value is slightly uncertain given he's set to be a restricted free agent in the offseason where he could command $120+ million. There is still a sense that Kerr is simply holding him back, and therefore rival teams could be intrigued in the hope of unlocking his talent with a more consistent role.
Perhaps the Warriors can reconvene with the Brooklyn Nets on a Kuminga (and salary) for Cam Johnson trade, or aim even higher for Jimmy Butler or another star making 40+ million, but either way they need to see what their most talented young player could get them before the deadline.