Jonathan Kuminga’s breakout efficiency final season caught the eye of the Golden State Warriors, proving he may very well be a strong scoring possibility alongside Stephen Curry.
Kuminga impressed with a 19.1 factors per recreation common from late January by way of March, primarily enjoying energy ahead in a lineup with Andrew Wiggins at small ahead and Draymond Inexperienced at heart, in line with NBC Sports activities Bay Space.
Head coach Steve Kerr would possibly revisit that setup this season, particularly with competitors brewing within the backcourt.
Regardless of his success on the 4, Kuminga sees himself as a small ahead, a view that’s shared by Inexperienced.
“I think he’s a three. That’s always been my opinion. That’s not going to change. To play the four, it requires a certain skill set,” Inexperienced mentioned, by way of 95.7 The Recreation.
Draymond on Kuminga: “I think he’s a three. That’s always been my opinion. To play the four, it requires a certain skill set. A certain knowledge and a certain understanding of that position to do that.” pic.twitter.com/mCO7xg6ERD
— 95.7 The Recreation (@957thegame) October 3, 2024
Inexperienced emphasised that energy ahead isn’t only a catch-all place.
“It requires a certain knowledge and a certain understanding of that position to do that. He’s never done it. So, can he adjust to learn that? I don’t know. Can a receiver learn how to be a quarterback?” Inexperienced added.
Final season’s numbers inform an attention-grabbing story. The Kuminga-Wiggins duo struggled, posting a minus-0.3 web score.
Nevertheless, add Inexperienced to the combination, and the trio’s web score soared to plus-10.9 over 427 minutes, with improved offensive and defensive scores, in line with NBC Sports activities.
For Kuminga to cement his place at small ahead, he’ll must deal with his capturing.
His 3-point share dipped to 32.1 p.c in his third season, a step again from the promise he confirmed earlier.
Because the Warriors look to optimize their lineup, Kuminga’s growth on the three may very well be essential for his or her success.
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