So much for asking for a bigger role, huh? Jonathan Kuminga wanted more minutes, more touches, and maybe a little more spotlight. Instead, Steve Kerr gave him a front-row seat to the bench. Yeah, the Warriors coach finally pulled the plug on his usual starter, sending a loud message without saying a word. The move came just in time, too. Golden State had been wandering around like a team that lost its GPS somewhere in 2022. Their 125-120 win over the Spurs wasn’t exactly pretty, but it worked. Kerr’s tough love moment seemed to do the trick. 

Turns out, it was pain, not pouting. Though he was slated to come off the bench, Kuminga struggled to find his rhythm, logging 12 minutes in the first half without a single point or assist. After the game, Steve Kerr cleared the air. “All I heard was he was sore before the game,” Kerr explained. “He warmed up. He felt good, and Rick [Celebrini, the Director of Sports Medicine and Performance] said he could go. And then, um, during the game he told us it was starting to get sore, so at half-time Rick told me he was out.”

With just 32 seconds left in the second quarter, Jonathan Kuminga quietly limped off to the locker room, leaving everyone scratching their heads. Moments later, the Warriors confirmed everyone’s fears: he was out with a knee soreness issue. Not exactly breaking news, considering he’d entered the game listed as questionable due to bilateral knee tendonitis.

The timing couldn’t have been more ironic.

Just a few nights ago, Steve Kerr had lit a fire under his young core after a disappointing loss. He didn’t sugarcoat a thing. As beat writer Danny Emerman reported, Kerr said bluntly, “There has to be some fire in the belly,” calling out Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski by name. So yeah, with JK’s knee issue mid-game, it almost felt like the universe had a twisted sense of humor, where Kerr demanded energy and Kuminga’s body flat-out refused.

What makes it even trickier is the bigger picture. The young gun’s still trying to prove himself or, depending on how you see it, audition for his next home. Remember the offseason whispers? He reportedly wanted either a bigger role or a ticket out.

But to achieve that leverage, he needs to play, and play well.

This isn’t the first time Kuminga was demoted to the bench, though. Last season, in a similar situation, where he needed to prove his worth, he lost his starting spot after the first three games as coach Kerr searched for a shooting presence in Stephen Curry’s absence. Come the playoffs, he only started 10 games in total.

But things really seemed different this time around. However, if the youngster continues to ride the bench now and misses chances due to injury, that leverage will evaporate quickly. Sure, he’s got a shiny two-year, $48.5 million deal with a team option next summer, but that clause might end up saying more about the Warriors’ flexibility than Kuminga’s future.

Kuminga has hit a rough patch over the last three games, missing shots and struggling to create steady offense. That said, his season numbers are nothing to sneeze at. In his first 12 outings, he’s putting up an average of 14.9 points, grabbing 6.8 boards, and dishing out 3.1 assists per game, while connecting on 48.1% of his shots from the floor and 33.3% from beyond the arc.

Steve Kerr shakes things up: A tactical wake-up call for the Warriors

So, what gives with Kuminga on the bench? Was it just a tactical shake-up or a subtle message? Steve Kerr tried to keep things cool before tip-off, brushing off any drama. “I think what I would clarify, there’s not an individual player out there who is playing selfishly or who is purposefully doing anything that would hurt the team from winning,” he said.

He went on to address the team’s recent worry: “There’s an energy, a vibe that every team has to feel and has to have. And I’ve been really lucky here in my 11 years, we’ve usually had that vibe. But there are always moments in the season where that vibe slips away, and you have to fight to get it back.”

Maybe that’s the real reason behind the shuffle, a jolt to bring the spark back.

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Lately, even the veterans have been feeling the drag. Draymond Green didn’t mince words after the Thunder loss: “I think everybody was committed to winning and doing that any way possible. And right now, um, it doesn’t feel that way.”

Last season, the squad had its championship tunnel vision. This year? Not so much. Age is a factor as well; Golden State’s roster ranks among the oldest in the league. Slower pace, more injuries, but the fire? That should still be there. Clearly, it’s been a bit dim.

Jimmy Butler also remarked they needed “some more effort” on defense, a line you rarely hear about a team led by seasoned pros. Toss in personal agendas and players angling for bigger roles, and suddenly, Kuminga’s benching starts to make sense. He didn’t get what he wanted, but perhaps Kerr’s mix-and-match approach was exactly what the team needed: a wake-up call.