As the Golden State warriors continue on their current hot streak, having won 14 of their last 16 games, the team as a whole continues to find great success on both ends of the floor.
Over his last 10 games, veteran superstar Stephen Curry has averaged 28.4 points and 6.2 assists, playing some of his best basketball in recent memory. Trade deadline acquisition Jimmy Butler has made a major impact on the team, averaging 16.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists through his first 15 games with the Warriors.
Yet throughout Golden State's successful turnaround, one key player has been mostly missing -- young forward Jonathan Kuminga. After suffering a gruesome ankle sprain against the Memphis Grizzlies in January, Kuminga missed 31 games, making his return on Thursday night in the Warriors' win over the Sacramento Kings.
Now that Kuminga has returned, the uncertainty of his fit with Golden State's rotation will be one of the primary issues head coach Steve Kerr must address through the final stretch of the regular season.
Jonathan Kuminga's fit in Warriors rotation could cause issues
Prior to his injury, Kuminga was having a career year in averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists through his first 32 games. In his return, it did not seem as though he had lost a step, showcasing his aggressiveness at the rim and posting a remarkable 18 points, three rebounds and one assist in just under 20 minutes off the bench.
The former seventh overall pick was less explosive against the New York Knicks on Saturday night, finishing with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists on 3-of-8 shooting as the Warriors claimed a 97-94 victory.
With the ascension of young wing Moses Moody as a regular in Golden State's starting lineup, Kuminga will need to adjust quickly to his new role in order to be an effective contributor to the team's success for the rest of the season.
Moody, who is averaging 10.0points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists this season, stepped into the starting lineup in mid-February as the Warriors attempted to straighten out their rotation following the loss of four players in the Butler trade.
Since Moody has become a starter, he has begun to develop into the type of 3-and-D player that all contending teams covet, averaging 13.1 points and shooting 40.8% from 3-point range. His defense has also been impeccable, posting a 103.9 defensive rating in his last 12 games. The Warriors have certainly benefited from Moody's step forward, going an incredible 17-1 in games in which he starts this season.
Considered in pairing with Butler's impact, it is highly unlikely that Kuminga finds his way into the starting lineup again this season. While Kuminga has, at times throughout his career, expressed his eagerness to gain bigger minutes within the Warriors' rotation, he has oscillated throughout this season between the starting lineup and the bench unit.
However, Kuminga's stats are near-identical in games in which he starts or comes off the bench, and in order for him to fit seamlessly into Golden State's rotation down the stretch, he will need to become fully comfortable in his role as a bench scorer.
While the Warriors have had the second-highest scoring bench in the NBA this season, Kuminga's aggressiveness and offensive firepower could help cement the team's bench as the best in the league, cementing their chances as an outside contender for another championship.
Head coach Steve Kerr must tread carefully in order to not disrupt the flow of this streaking Warriors team, and Kuminga must quickly acclimate into his new, more defined role.
