Jonathan Kuminga did not play in Game 1 of the Golden State Warriors’ playoff series against the Houston Rockets. Ultimately, it did not matter because the Warriors pulled off the win without him anyway.
Kuminga could appear in Game 2, though it will depend on how Steve Kerr and Co. feel about playing him.
The Latest on Jonathan Kuminga
Kerr gave the latest on Kuminga during his appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.” The Warriors’ coach praised Kuminga for his approach. He didn’t give a clear answer on whether Kuminga would play in Game 2, but revealed that it’s possible he could.
“Jonathan [Kuminga] has been fantastic. His attitude, his energy on the bench, cheering guys on, staying ready. He’s a great, great young guy. This has been tough on him, but he’s doing exactly what he should be doing, which is staying ready. I’ve told him, and our coaches have told him things can change in a heartbeat in the NBA.
“He’s got to just be ready for when his time comes, and that’s exactly what he’s doing. I would be surprised if, at some point, his time doesn’t come. When you’re in a good groove, you just keep doing what you’re doing and then you adjust as you go.”
"Jonathan [Kuminga] has been fantastic. His attitude, his energy on the bench, cheering guys on, staying ready. He's a great, great young guy. This has been tough on him, but he's doing exactly what he should be doing, which is staying ready.
I've told him, and our coaches have… pic.twitter.com/FaDrCK9423
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) April 23, 2025
Kuminga last played on April 11 against the Portland Trail Blazers, their penultimate regular-season game, and he hasn’t played since. He hasn’t appeared in any games since, including their regular-season finale, their play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies, and, of course, Game 1 against the Houston Rockets.
This has been puzzling to the Warriors fans because of Kuminga’s progression over the last two years. He has proven he can score, but he’s not really a shooter and more of a slasher instead. Even though he’s shown progress during his time with the Warriors, it hasn’t been clear if he’s a winning player.
Kuminga was part of the Warriors’ title team in 2022, but was hardly featured on the team at that point, as it was his rookie season. The Warriors wing has averaged double-digits in points for the last two seasons.
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What’s likely factored in his diminishing role was the acquisition of Jimmy Butler, who is far more proven than Kuminga is and injected life into the Warriors as one of the best two-way wings in the game. Kuminga has become more superfluous with Butler, but that could change if Golden State starts to struggle.
The Warriors started their playoff run on a high note, which likely means no changes will come yet, but they could if Golden State goes through some struggles.