Klay Thompson’s exit from the Warriors has opened up the opportunity for the team’s young stars to fill his void and become the second option on offense behind Stephen Curry. Among those touting for that spot is forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has been putting in the hard yards in the summer to prepare for the biggest season of his career.
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In an interview with 95.7 The Game’s Whitney Sandretto, the 21-year-old spoke about his incredibly disciplined offseason routine, which suggests he’s ready to have a massive year with the Warriors. He said,
“In the summertime, it’s easier. I’ll just sacrifice and take the rest of my night off at 9 pm and wake up at 4 am… You have to wake up, this is what you choose, and you have to be the leader. Everybody got to follow your steps. If you go late, you can’t tell anybody else nothing.”
Kuminga also explained that he didn’t train alone as it wouldn’t help him develop the right skill set. He revealed that he worked on his shooting, but took a slightly different approach to most players. He said,
“I work out at like 5 am, 6 am. I like working with defenders. If I don’t have defenders it feels like I’m not doing anything. It’s more playing and working out with defenders. More catch-and-shoot but having people contest.”
Kuminga is coming into this season fresh off a career year with the Warriors. He averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game and established himself as a key contributor. However, he did not rest on his laurels and instead worked arduously to improve.
Kuminga’s make-or-break season
Kuminga is entering the final year of his rookie deal with the Warriors and is seeking a massive contract comparable to Franz Wagner’s five-year, $224 million extension. So far, the team has been reluctant to hand him the deal he desires, but that could change if he has a big year.
However, the forward will have to put up an All-Star-caliber campaign to turn his dream into reality. He’d also have to shoot a lot better. The 21-year-old shot just 32.1% from beyond the arc last season, which won’t cut it as a starting wing in today’s NBA. He’d also have to push his scoring average to above 20 points per game if he wants a massive deal.
Kuminga will get plenty of opportunities in the upcoming to showcase he’s worthy of a rookie-max extension. If he fails, he’d likely have to settle for a modest deal and potentially even leave the Warriors to get it.
