SAN FRANCISCO – As the payoff from Jonathan Kuminga’s summer of development becomes evident, the 22-year-old forward has earned a reward from Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Kuminga now has a “green light” for his 3-point shot.
“That's what I've been telling him,” Kerr said Thursday after practice. “We want that shot. We want him, if he's open, to let it fly.”
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This comes after three seasons in which Kuminga’s offensive game has been defined mostly by using his elite athleticism to drive toward the rim, whether in halfcourt sets or transition. He led Golden State in dunks with 138 but shot only 32.1 percent beyond the arc.
When Kerr and Kuminga met at the end of last season, the offseason directive was clear: Work on the 3-ball, tighten it, quicken it, get a natural feel for it and shoot it with confidence.
Or, as Kuminga described, last week: “Being a full, complete player.”
He appears to be getting there after three years of numerous lessons, countless hours of labor, sheer determination – and a modicum of friction between player and coach.
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Kerr has made it clear he wants the Warriors to play fast. Run at every opportunity. Shoot quickly or pass the ball to a teammate. The goal is to exhaust defenses in search of an open shot. And to launch that open look without hesitation.
“The game has to keep going,” Kerr said. “The biggest issue that we can run into is if we have an open shot and don't take it. In the NBA, the window closes fast. And then the shot clock starts winding down. Then you're jeopardizing your transition defense because you have to take a bad shot.
“So. we're really emphasizing to JK – to all our guys, really – if you're open, let it fly. And as we continue to build more continuity with our stuff that we're executing I think we’ll get better at that.”
Kuminga took seven 3-pointers Wednesday in Golden State’s preseason win over the Sacramento Kings. He made four. Though he has made four triples several times in regular-season games, Kuminga has attempted seven or more only twice, both times in lopsided losses.
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Each of Golden State’s decision-makers wants Kuminga to become the starting small forward. Someone capable of effectively defending multiple positions on one end and punishing defenses on the other with three-level scoring – at the rim, with a midrange and from deep.
If Kuminga can complete that mission, it would give Kerr several options for lineups and rotations.
It would have an impact on the distribution of Draymond Green’s minutes between power forward and center. It would give Kerr an opening to experiment with Andrew Wiggins at shooting guard, essentially replacing Klay Thompson. It would open minutes for Trayce Jackson-Davis at center.
Moreover, should Kuminga blossom at small forward, it would equip the Warriors with the information they need to decide whether he can be a future franchise cornerstone.
Kerr is working with a small sample size, but it’s trending in the desired direction.
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