The Golden State Warriors view Jonathan Kuminga as a key piece of their future, and the young forward has shown flashes of potential since his debut in 2021. At just 23 years old, Kuminga is a dynamic finisher capable of guarding multiple positions with his athleticism. However, while owner Joe Lacob has been vocal about his development, head coach Steve Kerr has controlled the rotations. He has made sure that Kuminga earns his minutes through consistent production.

Recently, Kuminga has suffered an unfortunate setback. Anthony Slater reported, “Jonathan Kuminga is out tonight because of a right ankle tweak,” and would be missing the final preseason game against the LA Clippers. According to him, Kuminga suffered this injury during the play, which got him ejected in the Warriors’ previous game against the Portland Trailblazers for arguing and making contact with a referee.

The injury is described as a tweak instead of a severe sprain, though medical staff is sure to monitor Kuminga closely in the coming days. The Warriors are being cautious, knowing that pushing him too hard before the season starts. The timing of the setback is regrettable because the early season was when Kuminga was expected to carve out a consistent role within the veteran Warriors squad.

Meanwhile, ownership has been consistently supportive of Kuminga, and Joe Lacob has voiced his admiration for the forward’s talent for a long time, even being the “driving force” behind him being drafted ahead of Franz Wagner in 2021.

Lacob was recently on the TK Show, where he was asked if he had pushed for Kuminga to get more playing time. “Yes, those conversations have happened,” he admitted, “but they’ve happened maybe differently than you think. Steve and I talk, but look, I let Steve do his job… I can have input, but at the end of the day, he makes the decisions.”

Lacob made it clear that he respected Steve Kerr’s leadership, even if he was invested in Kuminga’s growth. Lacob praised the forward as “a great kid and very exciting to watch,” but said that he has to earn his spot with Kerr. He explained, “It’s his job. He coaches the team. And so, sure, we’ve had discussions, but they probably more varied than you think and about other subjects, other subjects besides just JK.”

The Events Leading to Jonathan Kuminga’s Ejection

The sequence that resulted in Jonathan Kuminga’s ejection took place with less than seven seconds in the second quarter. Kuminga drove to the basket while going up for a layup, which he ended up missing due to contact from two Blazers defenders. The contact included a clip on the same ankle he badly injured last season, limiting him to 47 games.

Kuminga, unhappy with the no-call, then went up to official Rodney Mott and clapped in his face, which falls into “inappropriate contact with and continuing to pursue a game official,” according to the NBA.

Mott then ejected Kuminga (a first for the forward), resulting in a $35,000 fine for the Warriors player.

After the game, Steve Kerr told the media that he “didn’t mind the ejection at all.” He explained, “He got fouled, it was a frustrating play. I have no problem with it; he deserved the foul. He was getting fouled quite a bit. It was a physical game.”

Kerr also praised Kuminga’s effort and passion, saying, “The way he ran on play, the activity he played with, the rebounding….that’s JK who can really help our team. I loved the way he played. I love the fire, the passion, I don’t mind ejection at all.”