Kuminga - still mentally out to lunch

[bdonovan]

(Re: Jonathan Kuminga- 4th year Forward for Warriors; drafted 7th overall in 2021 NBA draft- top prospect).

A year and a half ago, I wrote that Kuminga hadn't learned how to play defense (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?515294-Jonathan-Kuminga-is-a-LIABILITY-on-team-defense-for-the-Warriors). A year later I posted that Kuminga still hadn't learned how to play defense (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?519156-Kuminga-has-not-learned-how-to-play-Defense-yet).

Today I am posting that after watching the last few games, Kuminga remains one of the lowest IQ players I have watched in a while.

What a shame given his offensive potential.

Kuminga has mimicked the disastrous, low-effort, team-killing team D of Durant; that is to lazily sit around the paint to provide needless "help" defense (often the 3rd or 4th defender, and coming from the weak side) as a front for lazily conserving energy by NOT guarding your man.

The advice for team defense to each defender continues to be:

STAY ON YOUR MAN
STAY ON YOUR MAN
STAY ON YOUR MAN

It's a simple maxim that you should have learned by high school.

Help only when necessary. Don't play zone or improvise your own defense unless the coach specifies.

Kuminga lazily stayed off his man and gave the opponent wide open looks. Just lazily camping around the paint. And routinely broke the Warriors defense by leaving his man open, forcing his teammates to do the job he was supposed to.

There's a reason Kuminga isn't a starter. Despite being all-star caliber offensive player.

It's as if he has patterned his simple-minded ISO-only game after Durant. Rarely is he playing team offense- by setting screens, moving off the ball, creating and passing.

On the offensive end, he has deteriorated in terms' of team offense. Before, he occasionally used to drive and kick. Now he just hunts for his own shot. If he can't find it after holding the ball for 10-15 seconds at the top of the key, he'll thoughtlessly chuck it to whomever, with a few seconds left on the clock.

The Warriors have had IQ issues with their draft picks- Jordan Poole and James Wiseman. What's odd is that coaching staff can't educate these players.

While the new generation seems to be less disciplined and willing to learn than past ones, the Warriors have a unique problem of getting through to their top drafts.

Lower draft picks like Moses Moody, Podziemski - picked outside the top 10 seem more willing to learn and have become quality team players. (granted Poole was also outside top 10 as well but emerged as a star for a while)

Are the Warriors calling out these young players during film sessions; maybe they need more of a drill seargent type asst. coach to get through to some of these guys.

For now, Kuminga remains a mediocre off the bench option until he can improve on the mental side of things. All the more tragic, because the Warriors needs a scorer like him, esp. in the playoffs.

[warriorfan]

I’m super low on Kuminga right now. He is decent as a one on one player but as a complete team player he’s just not good. He’s a ball stopping black hole, he doesn’t play good team defense and is inconsistent with his effort with man defense. He should be rebounding better.

He hasn’t been getting playing time and one could say it’s hard to grow and improve without it. But I think if Kuminga was on a bad team that let him go out there and do whatever for 30 mins a night it would be even worse for him. He would be your classic empty stat guy on a bad team. With the Warriors he had a shot to learn how to play the right way and become a solid contributor of even a star for a successful team. As we know though prospects often don’t turn out how we thought they would. It is what it is.

[bdonovan]

Regarding playing time, in the last game, I believe he had three turnovers in about five minutes. So he gets yanked from the game because of those mental lapses. Yeah it is a tough call. Because I am sure they've spoken to him about things like committing on defense. And this is his fourth year, so, despite being told this over and again, he keeps choosing not to. He hast to grow as a player, but it comes from him making a commitment to play differently.

The sad thing in all this, is as Kuminga's minutes are reduced to 15 minutes a game, or whatever, even more he refuses to play defense and focuses solely on offense, thinking that he can score his way into the starting lineup. This guy is playing 1D chess.

[Proctor]

Kuminga isn't even the lowest IQ on his team. That's the one and only Buddy Hield.

[RRR3]

Kuminga isn't even the lowest IQ on his team. That's the one and only Buddy Hield.
But they’re all geniuses compared to their number one fan methy

[Meticode]

Kerr has so much distrust in him that he sat him in this game against the Clippers which could be playoffs or play-in.

[warriorfan]

Kerr has so much distrust in him that he sat him in this game against the Clippers which could be playoffs or play-in.

I picked under on Kuminga props because I was pretty sure he was going to get very limited minutes. Didn’t really expect him to get fully sat but at the same time I’m not surprised.

[bdonovan]

Kerr has so much distrust in him that he sat him in this game against the Clippers which could be playoffs or play-in.

Sad to see.

The lineup of Curry, Butler, Draymond, and Kuminga theoretically should be a powerhouse. And ideally a Center who they acquired to do the job at that position (which they never did).

They were out-rebounded by LAC 33-22, and 9-3 on offensive boards.

In this league, if you're not firing on all cylinders, including the coach, the role players, the front office, you're out. The Warriors are going to be out soon.

Kerr is doing too much.

Kerr is experimenting with lineups late in the season. We won a championship with Looney at C (we're missing those crushing screens from Looney, Pachulia, Bjelica). We were playing well with Jackson-Davis. Then in the last few weeks he switches to Quinten Post, this is first year in the NBA.

Same thing with Hield; we were red hot at the beginning of the year with him in. But what happens is Curry and Kerr give up on players for mental lapses. They over-react.

Even with Hield not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, he still was playing winning basketball within the Warriors framework. Kerr and Curry are both being perfectionist to the detriment of the team.

Moses Moody has been solid when he's played but only recently he's been in the starting lineup and getting major minutes. Beginning of the year he was averaging 15 mins or so before he starting playing more in Feb and now starting.

Sad but given the way they're being coached, the lack of guys like Kuminga's willingness to adapt and front-office deficiencies, Curry's career is not going to end on a high note.

[bdonovan]

"Reports indicate that Kuminga was seeking an average annual salary of $35 million, while the Warriors were offering around $30 million. As a result, Kuminga is set to become a restricted free agent in the 2025 offseason, allowing the Warriors to match any offer he receives from other teams. "

:lol

We got another "Dennis Schroeder-type disaster" coming up salary wise. Then again, people paid Durant majorly w/out recognizing his deficiencies bring down the team as a whole, so we may well get a sucker here paying the big bucks.

[BarberSchool]

Superior basketball specimen.

But seems to have the brain of a shy 12yr old girl, who was held back in 5th grade.

Maybe it’s just the language/culture barrier?
Hard to tell thru the damn TV.
But as much as I dislike Kerr, dude is sharp and recognizes something unfixable it seems.

[BarberSchool]

Sad to see.

The lineup of Curry, Butler, Draymond, and Kuminga theoretically should be a powerhouse. And ideally a Center who they acquired to do the job at that position (which they never did).

They were out-rebounded by LAC 33-22, and 9-3 on offensive boards.

In this league, if you're not firing on all cylinders, including the coach, the role players, the front office, you're out. The Warriors are going to be out soon.

Kerr is doing too much.

Kerr is experimenting with lineups late in the season. We won a championship with Looney at C (we're missing those crushing screens from Looney, Pachulia, Bjelica). We were playing well with Jackson-Davis. Then in the last few weeks he switches to Quinten Post, this is first year in the NBA.

Same thing with Hield; we were red hot at the beginning of the year with him in. But what happens is Curry and Kerr give up on players for mental lapses. They over-react.

Even with Hield not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, he still was playing winning basketball within the Warriors framework. Kerr and Curry are both being perfectionist to the detriment of the team.

Moses Moody has been solid when he's played but only recently he's been in the starting lineup and getting major minutes. Beginning of the year he was averaging 15 mins or so before he starting playing more in Feb and now starting.

Sad but given the way they're being coached, the lack of guys like Kuminga's willingness to adapt and front-office deficiencies, Curry's career is not going to end on a high note.

This sounds about right.

But I side with Curry & Kerr if it is.

Stupid can ruin a title run out of nowhere.
Hield can flat out score.
But he isn’t a grown man, mentally.
Kuminga even younger, mentally.

[ImKobe]

Got benched in the biggest game of the season for GS, and Kuminga has the physical tools to guard Kawhi... Kerr said NOPE and took his chances with GP2 lmao. It's over man.

[bdonovan]

This sounds about right.

But I side with Curry & Kerr if it is.

Stupid can ruin a title run out of nowhere.
Hield can flat out score.
But he isn’t a grown man, mentally.
Kuminga even younger, mentally.

It's a tough call. Hield does make mental mistakes.

But Kuminga is on another level....

He is willfully sabotaging GSW's defense by conserving energy and hanging out on the paint on D. He is not guarding his man. That is suicide for a team. It's a different level with him.

Hield occasionally forgets to pass; it's occasional. Whereas Kuminga is almost 100% hero ball. He is so bad at passing that the rare time he chooses to, he turns the ball over. Turning it over 3 times in 5 minutes in a recent game before getting yanked.

Hield's deficiencies are occasional and accidental. Kuminga's refusal to play defense, and refusal to play within the team offense aren't occasional, they are always; they are volitional choices he's making that harm the team.

[hold this L]

Getting two DNPs must be brutal for him, guy probably lost about 20 million of his new contract by Kerr's decision right there. Saying that, the Rockets are the only team the Warriors can play in the playoffs that give JK the best opportunity to shine. Lakers could also theoretically, but Rockets moreso because they're kind of young, dumb and allow enough around the rim.

[warriorfan]

Getting two DNPs must be brutal for him, guy probably lost about 20 million of his new contract by Kerr's decision right there. Saying that, the Rockets are the only team the Warriors can play in the playoffs that give JK the best opportunity to shine. Lakers could also theoretically, but Rockets moreso because they're kind of young, dumb and allow enough around the rim.

Kuminga turned down a 5 year 150 million dollar extension before this season.

He made his bed, now he has to lie in it. In retrospect it was good for the Warriors that he declined it.

He’s a ****ing bum.

[hold this L]

Kuminga turned down a 5 year 150 million dollar extension before this season.

He made his bed, now he has to lie in it. In retrospect it was good for the Warriors that he declined it.

He’s a ****ing bum.
Yeah I agree with you, but I still think he can find some use before he's traded next summer vs Rockets or Lakers. If Warriors make it past them, I don't trust him at all vs OKC or Boston.

[BarberSchool]

PG Steph Curry
SG Jimmy Butler
SF Braindead Kuminga
PF Draymond Green
C Quentin Post

This SHOULD be a lineup that works against Houston.

But Kuminga is apparently such a braindead retard that Kerr couldn’t play him at all, in the do or die last game of the season against the Clippers.

I fully agree with the earlier poster who said those 2 late DNP’s lost Kuminga a lot of money in his next contract.

[warriorfan]

To simplify it.

He doesn’t play smart, and he doesn’t play hard.

I don’t care how talented a player is, if they don’t have at least one of those they will always be bad. You can get away with missing one of the two, but not both.

[BarberSchool]

Kuminga with the spectacular up & under, that went over the d@mn backboard.

[bdonovan]

To simplify it.

He doesn’t play smart, and he doesn’t play hard.

I don’t care how talented a player is, if they don’t have at least one of those they will always be bad. You can get away with missing one of the two, but not both.

Yeah; that's pretty much it.

I also came across some stats recently:

According to Cleaning the Glass, Kuminga's shooting percentages from mid-range areas are as follows:​

Short Mid-Range (4–14 feet): 36%

Long Mid-Range (14 feet to the three-point line): 27%

Overall Mid-Range: 31%​

That kind of mid-range is not great for a SF. And he elects to shoot these bad shots mid-range instead of finding a teammate.

I also noticed his FG% and 3 pt % are at career lows for him, with his 3 pt shooting falling to 30%.