Game 7—the two most beautiful words in sports, unless you’re the Golden State Warriors. For hoop fans, it promises chaos, drama, and legacy-defining basketball. But for the Dubs, it carries the weight of history—specifically, the ghosts of 2016. Blowing a 3-1 lead once still haunts this franchise, and Steve Kerr is determined not to let déjà vu strike again. That’s why on Sunday, with everything on the line, he might just gamble it all on Jonathan Kuminga.

Well, Kuminga has gradually faded out of Kerr’s rotation ever since Jimmy Butler arrived to the Bay Area. Apart from the two games in this series where he briefly replaced Jimmy while he was injured, the youngster has not suited up since April 11. But with the Warriors’ season on the line, JK could become their only saving grace. After Kerr’s experiment of putting Gary Payton II in the starting lineup to replace Brandin Podziemski failed last night, the head coach is leaving his options open for Game 7.

When asked if Kuminga could finally get valuable minutes this Sunday, Kerr confirmed, “100%. He’s on the table.” So far, the forward has played only 43 minutes in this series, averaging merely 9 points with four DNPs. Reason? He does not fit the rotation with Jimmy in the lineup.

As GM Mike Dunleavy noted, “They present some stuff athletically and physically that he can match.” In a high-stakes Game 7, that might be enough for Steve Kerr to roll the dice. Whether it’s injecting Kuminga off the bench for short, explosive stretches or sliding him into a small-ball lineup with Draymond Green at center, Kerr could use his athleticism and length to throw Houston off balance and disrupt their rhythm—especially against a team that thrives in transition.

But Kerr is willing to reconsider that strategy following the Warriors’ back-to-back losses, “You know this, we’ve kind of found a formula here, the later part of the season and we stayed with that formula to start the series up 3-1. Things are going well and then obviously, last two games have gone very poorly. We have to assess everything and lineup combinations, starters, all of that we have to assess.”

So, Kerr is desperate to find the rotation that clicks and gets the job done. And this urgency could give Kuminga another chance to prove his worth. Even his veteran leaders think so.

Stephen Curry agrees with Steve Kerr as Draymond Green ensures trust in Jonathan Kuminga

Kerr is not the only Warriors member who sees Kuminga potentially making an impact this Sunday. Even Steph shared a similar sentiment, as he addressed the possibility of the youngster playing, “I think everything’s on the table for sure. And him included to just the ultimate challenge of staying ready. I know he has answered that question plenty of times that he is ready.”

Curry continued, “It’s gonna be good for us to get into the war room and figure out what those adjustments are gonna be personnel wise, scheme wise, to give our best effort for Game 7.” Last night, Ime Udoka exploited the Warriors’ biggest weakness—lack of size.

Aiming to dominate the paint, he played big men Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams together for majority of the second half. It was one of the reasons the Rockets pulled away in the final quarter and gained a 17-point lead.

Maybe Kuminga’s 6’8 frame and freakish athleticism could help Kerr tackle this problem on Sunday. Even if he is unable to produce on offense, the forward could use his size to become a defensive stopper. So, playing him might not be a bad option after all.

But will he be able to handle the pressure of Game 7? Draymond Green certainly thinks so. “Yeah, he cut out for it. He cut out for whatever you throw at him. He built the right way for that. 1000%.” The former DPOY said, ensuring his trust in JK.

With the veterans backing him and the head coach considering his impact, don’t be surprised if you see Kuminga make a last-minute entry into the starting lineup this Sunday. Do you think this move can save the Warriors’ season?