For the first time all season, Jonathan Kuminga found himself planted on the bench for the entire fourth quarter and the final 18 minutes of Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers. This came on the heels of a frustrating two-game stretch where the young Golden State Warriors forward managed just 11 points on a dismal 5-of-19 shooting.
The benching, while stark, was unequivocally the right call in the moment. When Kuminga exited with 5:53 left in the third quarter, the Warriors led by just three points. By the time the final buzzer sounded on a 114-83 blowout, the lead had ballooned to 31, a staggering +30 swing in his absence. The message from Steve Kerr was clear: on a night when the offense was sputtering, he needed players who could execute more efficiently.
The critical question now is whether this was a one-time correction or the beginning of a troubling trend. Kerr’s decision becomes truly significant if it carries over into Tuesday’s marquee matchup against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Less than two weeks ago, Kerr declared Kuminga a permanent starter moving forward. Will that promise hold after two poor outings, especially with the Warriors needing optimal spacing and defensive versatility to counter MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s elite defense?
There is, however, important context to consider. Kuminga’s early-season success was intricately tied to sharing the floor with Stephen Curry. Through the first eight games, the Kuminga-Curry duo was the Warriors’ most-used combination, with the young forward thriving off the gravity and playmaking of the two-time MVP. Adjusting to a primary role without Curry over the last three games was always going to be a challenging pivot.
One benching does not define a season, but it does amplify the spotlight. As trade eligibility looms on January 15th and scrutiny intensifies, Kuminga’s response in the coming games will be crucial. He needs a quick and decisive bounce-back to prove his electrifying start was a sign of genuine growth and not merely a temporary hot streak.