A significant NBA story that unfolded over the summer was the future of Jonathan Kuminga with the Golden State Warriors. It seemed that both parties wanted to move on from one another, but neither would budge on any agreement that would let them do that. For now, Kuminga is a Warrior after agreeing to a two-year, $48.5 million deal. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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Kuminga does provide a young spark that this much older Golden State team needs to lean on. The West is as competitive as it’s ever been. Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler are still dynamite weapons, but they will need some sort of dynamism when those two sit out . This could very well be the spot that Kuminga gets slotted into.
That’s at least what Brian Geltzeiler suggests. The NBA Insider broke down how Kuminga could be an effective tool for the Dubs during the latest edition of SiriusXM NBA Radio. Geltzeilder began by reminding listeners that Curry was recently asked in an interview how many minutes he expected to play per game in the 2025-2026 season.
“His answer was 32-33. Well that leaves 15-16 minutes that he’s not on the floor. So if you’re telling me you don’t think Kuminga is a good fit with him okay. Play Jonathan Kuminga in those 15-16 minutes and let him be a lead piece in the offense,” stated the popular analyst. This wasn’t just a blind suggestion either. He brought up how Kuminga and Butler complemented each other quite well one season ago.
“Because when last year him and Jimmy Butler were in there together, Jimmy Butler is very unselfish. Jimmy Butler will play in multiple systems. He’s not a guy that is a complete system guy, and if Butler has to subjugate his game a little bit for a younger teammate that can score, we’ve seen Jimmy Butler do it. That is not an issue.”
How much will Jonathan Kuminga play now that he’s back with the Golden State Warriors?@BGeltzNBA tells @SamMitchellNBA he has a plan for the Warriors to use his strengths. pic.twitter.com/8vQTSj5wNe
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) October 9, 2025
He’s right. It’s not an issue. The problem is that Kuminga and head coach Steve Kerr ‘butt heads’ on his minutes per game. It could also be that he has an issue with Curry. That’s by no means confirmed, but Golden State continues to lean on The Chef as their main option, a point that Geltzeiler mentioned.
“I don’t argue with that. But when he’s not on the floor, it’s okay to have Jonathan Kuminga play a lot of minutes. For whatever reason Steve Kerr and this kid don’t connect in that way.”
It is nice that the insider is at least presenting options for the Warriors. They don’t have much to lose by giving Kuminga a real shot. He’s young, athletic, and hungry to prove he can be more than just a role player.
If Kerr and Kuminga can get on the same page, that bridge between generations from Curry and Butler to the next wave, it could actually work. But if the tension keeps up, it’s only a matter of time before one side finally decides they’ve had enough.
