Kuminga Hit With Major Injury Update After Warriors Shakeup

The Golden State Warriors will once again be without forward Jonathan Kuminga when they face the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. The fifth-year forward is continuing to manage a knee issue, which has sidelined him recently.

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, imaging revealed that Kuminga is dealing with bilateral knee tendinitis. The injury is expected to keep him out for a relatively short term, but the Warriors are closely monitoring the soreness Kuminga has experienced in recent games.

Kuminga exited Wednesday’s 125-120 win over the Spurs after playing just 12 minutes off the bench — marking his first non-start of the season.

### Kuminga’s Bench Move Follows Sharp Decline in Production

The injury comes at a pivotal moment for Kuminga, who moved to the bench after a strong start to the season. Over his first six games, Kuminga averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting an impressive 45% from three-point range.

However, in his last seven games, the 21-year-old’s production has dipped significantly. He has averaged just 10.6 points while shooting a modest 17.6% from deep. This decline also coincides with a reduction in playing time—from 30.8 minutes per game in his first six outings down to 23.7 minutes over the last five. His struggles were evident once again on Wednesday, when he posted a -10 plus/minus, the second-worst mark on the Warriors’ roster.

### Steve Kerr Shakes Up Starting Five to Restore Rhythm

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr has clarified that the decision to bench Kuminga was not punitive but rather part of a broader effort to reset the team’s rhythm after a rocky 1-3 stretch, which included a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“It’s very clear that we’ve been a little clunky recently,” Kerr told reporters before Wednesday’s game. “There are times when it’s obvious you’ve got to make some changes.”

Kerr promoted rookie Will Richard and fifth-year wing Moses Moody into the starting lineup alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. Slater noted that Kerr prefers to have “extra shooting around Butler” and views Richard as a “ball-mover that helps offense flow around Curry and Draymond.”

The move paid immediate dividends. Moody delivered his best performance of the season, scoring 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep. Richard contributed three points and provided steady off-ball movement in 22 minutes.

### Warriors Commit to New Starting Unit Moving Forward

After the game, Kerr confirmed that Wednesday’s starting lineup would continue “moving forward,” meaning Kuminga will remain in a bench role even after returning from injury.

“[Wednesday night’s] starting lineup was built with the idea of finding our rhythm, getting back in sync, getting back to our identity,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game’s Willard and Dibs. “I’ve always felt Steph and Draymond need passing and cutting around them, and Jimmy needs shooting around him.”

Kuminga has averaged 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists this season on 47.8% shooting. Still, Kerr acknowledged that the young forward’s off-ball movement and stationary playmaking do not currently fit the specific lineup needs.

“Going forward does not mean forever,” Kerr added. “It just means going forward.”
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/golden-state-warriors/kuminga-injury-update-3/

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