Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, Steve Kerr respond to healthy scratch in win over Bulls

It’s never a dull moment in the ongoing saga between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors’ fifth-year forward received his first DNP-CD (Did Not Play — Coach’s Decision) of the season in the Dubs’ 123-91 win over the Chicago Bulls, just 24 hours after starting in the win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With no Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, or Al Horford, Steve Kerr opted to go with other options along the bench, riding the hot hand with guys like Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II.

“Just got to keep going, just like everybody else who’s in this position,” Kerr said after the game when a reporter asked how he hopes Kuminga processes the healthy scratch. “It happens to everybody pretty much, other than the stars. Guys come in and out of the rotation depending on who’s available, how the team’s playing.”

The Warriors are playing well right now. The win over the Bulls capped off a successful 2-1 stretch on an arduous road trip–three games in four nights. They upset the Cavs in the absence of Curry, Green, and Jimmy Butler, thanks to Pat Spencer, and came close to knocking off the 76ers. And they did so with Kuminga only playing 44 minutes across those three games.

“We just switched certain things. That’s all,” Kuminga said after the game at his locker when asked what Kerr’s explanation for the DNP.

“As long as things are working out there and we’re winning, I don’t see [the] point of switching, changing. Whenever my number gets called, I’ll be ready, but I don’t see a point. Because we’re doing good, we’ve been doing good. I think things are working, moving well. So I don’t see a point of taking some people out of the rotation when they’re playing good, and things are going well right now.”

Kuminga’s mindset right now

In the past, Kuminga has reacted to situations like these with a lot more agitation. In 2024, Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported that Kuminga had lost his faith in Kerr after the coach sat him for the final 18 minutes of a competitive loss to the Denver Nuggets.

But in the case of this DNP, Kuminga maintained that things between him and Kerr remain alright, despite past frustrations.

“We have a good relationship,” Kuminga said. “We get to talk and figure out things; we don’t have any problems. I don’t have any problems. Things just didn’t go my way today. I’m going to stay happy, stay locked in, stay focused into the next one.”

It’s been a weird season for Kuminga. He was an important part of the Warriors’ strong 4-1 start to open the season, flashing glimpses of potential and giving hope that he had become the player the organization envisioned. Kerr went as far as to entrench Kuminga as a starter for the foreseeable future.

But the good vibes and seamless play didn’t last. The Warriors regressed back to oscillating above and below .500, with Kuminga’s play returning to the same awkwardness and clunkiness that’s plagued his time in Golden State. After 13 games, Kerr pulled Kuminga from the starting lineup, and not long after, knee tendinitis sidelined him for seven games.

And in the four games since his return, not including the DNP, Kuminga has averaged 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 30 percent from the field and 30.8 percent in 19.1 minutes.  It’s been a rough stretch for the young forward, but he seems to be in good spirits despite the slump.

“I feel good. I don’t have any problems,” Kuminga said. “Gonna work out every day, stay ready. You never know how these things work sometimes, my number can get called any time, so I got to like, I believe in my game, and I feel good about my game, so whenever my number gets called, I’ll be [ready].”

What’s in store for Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors

Like anything related to Kuminga and the Warriors, this situation could branch off in many directions.

After Kerr dropped him from the rotation at the end of last season, it seemed like Kuminga’s time in Golden State was finished. But less than 2 weeks later, they turned back to him after Butler went down for a game. And when Curry went down in a series later, they made him the focal point alongside a hobbled Butler.

Come Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kuminga could very easily be back in the lineup, with things looking closer to what they were at the beginning of the season. Or he could catch another DNP, given how well the Dubs have gelled with guys who’ve supplanted him for now.

For Kerr, he operates under a strict prove-it mentality when it comes to who he plays. He used how assistant coach Ron Adams refers to the NBA as a “show me” league to make his point.

“This is how the league works,” Kerr said. “There’s always someone knocking down the door, trying to get your job. So, it’s on everybody to just compete, bring their best effort for the team. We’ve got a lot of guys doing that.”

Regardless, January 15th is growing louder and brighter– the day Kuminga and his contract become trade eligible. This DNP could be the final chapter in a rocky five-year relationship. Or it could be a harmless one-off blip that Kuminga and the Warriors move past.

Until then, Kuminga will look to prove to Kerr and the Warriors that he belongs in the rotation.

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