PHOENIX — As Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr tried to put Jonathan Kuminga’s rollercoaster five-year tenure into context, he acknowledged that he “could have done a better job” of making the young forward’s transition to the league a little easier.
“(Kuminga) is a really good guy,” Kerr said before Thursday’s game against the Suns. “It’s been obviously a rocky road for him and for us. It wasn’t always the right fit obviously, kind of in and out of the rotation, I think that was tough for him. Tough for us as well trying to navigate everything. But through all of that, I always enjoyed being around him. I respected him and the way he treated his teammates.”
“I really hope JK finds his way, whether it’s in Atlanta or wherever else. I really want to see him succeed and I’m sorry that it didn’t happen here. We all take ownership of that. Definitely things I could have done better.”
Kuminga’s time with the Warriors officially ended on Thursday afternoon when his trade to the Atlanta Hawks was finalized. Golden State received Kristaps Porziņģis while also sending out Buddy Hield.
When asked specifically about some of the things he could have done better to help Kuminga, Kerr declined to publicly offer many specifics. He did note that Kuminga, who was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was placed into a tough situation for any young player.
“I just think without going into too much detail, organizationally, the right path for us, for him, it was always tricky to navigate,” Kerr said “And we all share in that, myself included. I’m not gonna go into detail, but he was undoubtedly put in some tough spots. Coming to a championship team his rookie year, a team that was continuing to try to compete at the highest level, and he got here with very little experience. That’s a tough thing to reconcile. I wish I had done a better job of making that happen.”
Kuminga, now 23, continued to show flashes of strong play throughout his five years with the Warriors, but he also struggled to maintain the consistency the Warriors were hoping to see in his game.
For his part, Kerr is still hopeful that Kuminga will be able to find his way with a fresh start in Atlanta.
“The thing in the NBA is, opportunity is everything,” Kerr said. “What you learn as a young player is sometimes you just need the right situation. Most players actually need the right situation. Most people need the right situation. So I’m hopeful that he can take what he’s learned in his experience, the ups and the downs, the good and the bad, transfer that to his next opportunity and seize that opportunity.”
Kerr sounded optimistic that Porziņģis, who hasn’t played since Jan. 7 would be able to suit up and contribute quickly for the Warriors. The 30-year-old big man is expected to join the Warriors on Friday in Los Angeles. He is not expected to play Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Warriors hope he is ready to play soon thereafter.
“He’s an established player,” Kerr said. “The kind of player we’ve been looking for for years. Legitimate three point shooter, rim protector, tough to find that combination in one player. The biggest thing is his health. I don’t think we would have made the trade if we didn’t think he could be healthy and consistent in terms of being in the lineup. So that’s the plan.
“Obviously he’s got to get here and Rick (Celebrini’s) got to work with him, but Rick and the staff did their due diligence, so there’s a help that we can help him really get right. When he’s right, he’s a hell of a player. We’re looking at a guy who really fits what we need — size, space, shooting, rim protection. Every team needs that but we’ve always needed that since I’ve been here. We’ve never really had a player quite like him.”