Steve Kerr knew Jonathan Kuminga invited trouble after his reaction to a no-foul call against the Portland Trail Blazers. “You can’t do that. They are going to eject you if you do that,”. It was the first time in the 23-year-old’s career that he had been ejected. It’s rare to see Kuminga’s emotions get the better of him, especially when it was only a preseason game. And it might be the last after the NBA’s decision.

Despite JK having no history of being aggressive, he was fined $35,000 by the NBA, according to Chris Haynes. The league explained the punishment was for “making inappropriate contact with and continuing to pursue a game official,”. And Kuminga was indeed guilty of that. The game itself was physical, and the explosive forward felt the whistle didn’t favor him.

However, his reaction to the no-call was also inexcusable. Jonathan Kuminga rampaged towards the sideline official, Rodney Mott. He first clapped in his face before making contact with Mott. Likewise, it was a straight ejection, and the league felt it met the grounds for a fine. This is the first time the 23-year-old has received a fine for disorderly conduct.

It does have a reasonable explanation, though. Aside from the nature of the game, Kuminga felt he was clipped on the right ankle on that possession. This is the same ankle that kept him out for a long duration last season. After the game, Kuminga admitted to feeling pain in his right ankle, but it is nothing serious.

Following a contentious summer with the Warriors, a fine would be a sign of concern. But the way Steve Kerr saw it was completely different.

Steve Kerr is impressed by Jonathan Kuminga’s fire

There’s plenty of reason for Jonathan Kuminga to hold some ill feelings towards the Warriors. Had they let him go, Kuminga would have had the one thing he desired – consistent opportunity. But the Warriors remained persistent, leading to him signing a two-year deal without a no-trade clause. Not to say that was the reason he lashed out, but Kerr encouraged Kuminga to have a chip on his shoulder.

“The way he ran on [the ejection] play, the activity he played with, the rebounding. That’s the JK who can really help our team, I loved the way he played. I love the fire, the passion, I don’t mind the ejection at all,” Kerr said about the incident.

One compliment doesn’t imply Kerr and Kuminga see eye-to-eye. There has been conflict between the two, primarily due to the limited playing time. However, this is a season where JK needs to pounce on any opportunity whatsoever. The Warriors won the negotiations since they can trade JK midseason.

But they also rewarded him for being selfless. The contract is designed to be torn up after the first year, allowing Kuminga to sign a long-term deal with high value in the future. Several teams showed interest in the 23-year-old during the summer. However, it’s up to Jonathan Kuminga to maintain his appeal in the league.

The only way to do that is by forcing Steve Kerr to make a tough decision. Streaky shooting aside, Kuminga’s athleticism and foul-drawing abilities are bright parts of his game. He’s an efficient scorer and capable of putting the team on his back. He showed his ferocity against the Timberwolves in the postseason, carving up one of the best defenses in the league.

Now, he is back with “fire”, having spent time polishing his game in Cleveland, away from any distractions. With Kerr recognizing JK’s impact, a breakout year could really lead to a limitless future.