Jonathan Kuminga stole the show after the Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 119-109 in the season opener.
The young forward had 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists while shooting 66.7 percent from 3-point range.
This performance created a belief among fans that Jonathan Kuminga had successfully proven his worth after signing a long-term contract in the offseason.
After the game, Draymond Green praised Kuminga’s performance, especially his crucial defensive rebound late in the game.
Stephen Curry also responded positively to Kuminga’s efforts, especially his work protecting Luka Doncic throughout the game.
“I know Luka got the numbers, but he (Kuminga) challenged himself to do everything. It’s great to have a point-of-attack defender like that and to be able to challenge again. He’s going to continue to get better at that,” Curry said.
While Doncic still had 41 points and 12 rebounds, Kuminga showed consistent hustle and proved capable of guarding an opponent’s best player, just as the Warriors envisioned when developing him.
Kuminga had one steal and six defensive rebounds throughout the game, showing he can be a big help on the Warriors’ defense.
Curry also highlighted Kuminga’s complete contribution beyond statistics, emphasizing his effort play and basketball intelligence.
“But those 50-50 balls, the decisive plays. Especially in the second half when we started moving the ball. If he didn’t have anything, he got off there. The ball came back to him in the corner and he hit some big threes and got into the lane. And the offensive rebounds were huge.”
“So it’s just trying to be in the right place at the right time and continue to make impactful plays, as we all try to do, because that’s what leads to wins. And the more he can do that, the more he helps himself and helps us,” Curry explained.
Trade speculation surrounded Kuminga throughout the offseason and into the season.
However, if he maintains this two-way performance level and provides offensive production while effectively defending the opponent’s best players, the Warriors may prefer to keep him as a key rotation piece.