The Golden State Warriors have continued to free-fall through the Western Conference, and the franchise may need to make a move now. However, Gilbert Arenas believes the Dubs already have everything they need to succeed. The three-time All-Star explained how the Warriors can still turn it around with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and a more aggressive Jonathan Kuminga.
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“I mean as long as you got Steph and Draymond and the veterans, they can turn this around,” the former point guard said on his podcast, Gil’s Arena.
Arenas then underlined how most of the Warriors’ losses have come against playoff teams before elaborating on the importance of Kuminga stepping up his game.
“I think [the Warriors] need to officially let Kuminga know he is option two,” Gil continued, “I think that the problem is [Golden State] is still trying to figure out who is the second-best player on the team.”
Kuminga could shore up Golden State’s lack of offensive firepower outside of Curry. The 22-year-old is posting a career-best 16.8 points per game. But that isn’t enough production for a team that needs more scoring.
Arenas believes the fourth-year forward can afford to get more shots up, adding, “[Kuminga] can be selfish right now”.
Before being sidelined with injury, Kuminga had finally started to come into his own. JK had back-to-back 34-point games against the Suns and the Clippers. Seeing these performances made Arenas believe that Kuminga can be the number one option at times.
This comment was met with laughter from his co-hosts. But the former Washington Wizard persisted, pointing out how aggressively Kuminga played when his star teammates were sidelined.
Arenas explains why Kuminga can serve as a top option
Arenas asserted that Kuminga needs to prove his worth as a foundational piece amid trade rumors.
Still incredibly young, Kuminga has plenty of time to solidify himself as a star in the NBA. However, considering the Warriors’ two-timeline experiment, expectations are already high from the 22-year-old as the team attempts to keep their unbalanced roster competitive.
Arenas believes that if the Warriors guaranteed Kuminga more shots on a nightly basis, he could lead the Dubs, even in Curry’s absence.
“We need to see what he can really do. Give him a guaranteed 18-22 shots for like a month and see what he has, where he has the confidence, has the green light.”
While Steve Kerr has given Kuminga the green light at times, the reason why he was benched was because of his shot selection. Kuminga was constantly taking contested mid-range jumpers with over 10 seconds on the clock instead of passing or driving to the hoop. JK had finally started curbing this practice in the games before his injury, and the results spoke for themselves.
Since it looks like the Warriors are waiting and not making a move at the deadline, it would be worth watching if JK remembers the messages imparted to him when he returns from injury. If he can consistently play like he did against the Suns and the Clippers, the Warriors’ problem of not having a second scorer would be over, and the team could work towards winning again.
