The start of the 2025-26 season hasn’t gone according to plan for the Golden State Warriors. At 13-12, they have been struggling to put together a consistent stretch of basketball, with injuries to their star players, most notably Stephen Curry, making them an inconsistent unit.
One major problem for them, though, has been the lack of development from some of the younger stars on the team. Jonathan Kuminga, in particular, after signing a massive extension in the offseason, was someone they would have liked to see more production out of.
As a result, the four-time NBA Champion recently went into detail about where he believed the young forward was facing problems in the Warriors system.
Stephen Curry Explains Key Hurdle for Jonathan Kuminga
Since coming into the league as the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, fans have expected a lot of Kuminga. So far, he hasn’t been able to match those expectations consistently, either offensively or defensively.
As a result, there was legitimate doubt about the franchise bringing him back into the fold this season. Eventually, after a delayed free agency period, he signed a two-year, $48.5 million extension to return to the squad.
Through 17 games, though, he hasn’t had the sort of impact many had hoped. Averaging 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting a career-low 43.8% from the field, he hasn’t helped the Warriors’ case in making a legitimate run to the top of the West.
However, according to the only unanimous MVP in NBA history, the blame doesn’t fall entirely on Kuminga. “It’s a partnership for sure, especially with the situation we have where it’s the same coach, same system.”
Additionally, Curry believed one particular thing was a tough battle for any young player, especially Kuminga. “Really, the hardest part is, whether it’s going well or whether it’s not, (is) not losing your spirit.”
Additionally, the weight on young players to try to get better individually while also balancing the responsibility of fitting into a system, particularly one as established as Golden State’s, was a difficult rope to walk.
“That’s been JK’s challenge as a young player. Things change so quickly, and there are all these declarations about who he is as a player, and does he fit, and all that type of stuff.” Ultimately, though, he remained a team leader in every sense of the word, finishing his soliloquy by stating, “We still have high hopes he’ll impact our team.”
However, he made it clear that Kuminga needed to keep his mentality in the right place and make sure that he was putting in the same amount of effort and practice, regardless of the results materializing on the court.
With trade rumors running rampant that could send the recently extended player packing, it will be interesting to see how Kuminga responds to the words from the best player on his squad. He cannot be moved until January 15, so he has about a month to prove his worth to the team.
Otherwise, a trade could be on the horizon for one of the more promising young talents in the NBA.