Steve Kerr’s NBA journey wasn’t built on flashy numbers or star status, it was built on knowing his role and mastering it. Drafted 50th overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 1988 NBA Draft, Kerr averaged just 2.1 points in 26 games as a rookie. Over his 15-year career, he appeared in 910 regular-season games, averaging 17.8 minutes a night, and yet managed to carve out a long, respected run in the league. That path eventually led him to the Golden State Warriors’ head coaching job, where he’s guided them to five NBA Finals appearances. Kerr, perhaps more than most, understands what it feels like to be both seen and unseen within a team.

On The Glue Guys Podcast, Steve Kerr shared a story from his playing days that felt like more than just a trip down memory lane—it sounded like a subtle message. “I believe I started 17 games in my career. I may be off by one or two, but, you know, I think I played 900 and something games and I started 17 of them. So, um, yeah, I was never never like a, you know, major player, but frequently a role player. Maybe half of those 15 years I was like a 20 minute a night guy and the other half I didn’t play at all,” Kerr said.

He went on to explain what kept him in the league so long: “I actually realized that you could make a career out of being a really good 12th man, you know, like there’s a lot of guys in the league who can’t take it. They can’t deal with not playing and still bring it and and be a be an important part because they just don’t feel important. Um, and I realized, oh, wait a second. Like, this is my ticket to the NBA really. Like, I can I can buy myself another five, six years just by being a good pro… you can’t be a glue guy if you’re bit—– and moaning.”

Now, maybe it was just a general point about team culture—or maybe it was aimed, even indirectly, at Jonathan Kuminga. The Warriors and the former lottery pick are still stuck in a stalemate. Kuminga has until October 1 to either sign a $7.9 million qualifying offer or agree to a new extension, but you’d think both sides would prefer to lock something in sooner. And while Kerr didn’t name names, his comments about the value of embracing a role, staying ready, and contributing to “the fabric” of a team probably land close to home in Golden State’s locker room right now.

Back in May, Steve Kerr openly addressed the Jonathan Kuminga question, calling it “a tricky one” because Kuminga is “gifted and wants to play a bigger role and wants to play more.” Kerr made it clear that with the current roster — Steph Curry, Jimmy, Draymond Green — his priority is winning, and “right now he’s not a guy who I can say I’m gonna play 38 minutes… and expect to win.” He stressed it wasn’t about a lack of talent, but about the fit.

Kuminga standoff sparks Josh Giddey trade rumors

Jonathan Kuminga’s contract stalemate with the Golden State Warriors isn’t just about numbers anymore—it’s now swirling with trade rumors, and Josh Giddey’s name is right in the middle of it. The seventh pick in the 2021 draft has been looking for a deal in the $30 million per year range, while Golden State has reportedly been offering something closer to $20–23 million annually. That gap has created a standoff, and according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, it’s opened the door to some creative thinking.

Fischer says the Warriors have “registered interest” in Bulls restricted free agent Josh Giddey, who, just like Kuminga, is looking for a bigger payday than his current team is willing to give. The idea floating around? A sign-and-trade swap. “Golden State would be interested, depending on how the machinations would go, in some kind of Josh Giddey/Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade,” Fischer reported. There’s history here too—Chicago has long had interest in Kuminga, even making “outreach to Golden State early in the offseason” and bringing his name up in past trade conversations involving Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso. But right now, the Bulls have reportedly shut down all calls about Giddey, and they’re not looking to move him.

Even if both teams were suddenly open to it, pulling off a Giddey-for-Kuminga deal would be a nightmare under the NBA’s base year compensation rules. In short, each player’s outgoing salary would count as only half its annual average for his current team, but the full amount for the incoming team. That means the math wouldn’t work straight up, it would take at least three, and more likely four, teams to get the numbers to match. That’s a huge hurdle, which is why this trade chatter is more smoke than fire.

For now, reports say the Warriors have pulled out of Kuminga trade talks altogether and expect him to be with them this fall. They’ve offered him a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option on the second year and want him to waive the no-trade clause that would automatically come with it. Kuminga isn’t giving up that leverage, and with the October 1 deadline still weeks away, both sides seem content to let the clock tick until the pressure really hits.