Warriors finally lit a fire under Jonathan Kuminga just as he was out the door

Jonathan Kuminga was no stranger to criticism from the Golden State Warriors, but their latest barrage of insults to the media crossed a line.

Anthony Slater of ESPN recently published a fascinating article chronicling the strained relationship between Kuminga and his former employer. There was no good guy in the story, as sources close to Golden State and the player hurled a barrage of accusations, insults, and negative stories about the other party. 

Former Warriors players, however, have taken Kuminga’s side.

The most ridiculous inclusion in Slater’s report was that the Warriors – a franchise valued at over $10 billion – accused the former top-10 pick of “taking too much food from the [Warriors’] family room.” Of course, this is an absurdly petty bone to pick, considering Kuminga makes $23.7 million annually. 

Buddy Hield, who was traded to the Atlanta Hawks alongside Kuminga and is known for his sense of humor, responded to this allegation on Instagram with “They lying it was Jimmy,” followed by two laughing emojis. 

Two-time MVP Steph Curry, known for his straightforward nature, had a more candid reply, “I’m sorry, bro. This is ridiculous Go be Great!”

Former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green, known for stirring the pot, lamented the poor “hand Jonathan Kuminga was dealt” and “appreciated the way he handled it, the maturity he showed.” He also believes Kuminga can grow into "a cornerstone of [the Hawks] with Jalen Johnson" before shifting to a daydream of a Kuminga-Johnson fast break.

Kuminga’s response was less measured than his former teammates’

Kuminga also turned to Instagram to share his side of the story, replying with 32 laughing emojis, one eye-roll emoji, “What else,” and a cold face emoji.

If it wasn’t clear, the G League Ignite product is less than pleased with how the Warriors handled his career. Put yourself into Kuminga’s shoes; how irate would you have to be to press the laughing emoji button 32 times in a row on a public forum?

Kuminga was often criticized for his mentality on and off the court, with Warriors employees citing a laundry list of complaints: a lack of engagement, a selfish attitude, a lack of mental toughness, and poor decision-making, among others.

Well, the Warriors seem to have finally reached Kuminga. If there is anything that can light a fire under you, it’s a public shaming as great as he has received this week.

Kuminga had a career year in the 2023-24 season, his third year as a pro. Filling in as a starter in over half of his games, a thirty-game increase from the prior season, he ranked in the top quarter of small forwards in efficiency and volume of creation and finishing shot attempts. He found a unique role playing alongside Draymond Green, whose impact is comparable to Dyson Daniels' game as a playmaking defensive savant.

He had been facing pressure from the media before his third season. In August 2023, he addressed this with, “A lot of people are expecting so much from me – and myself; I’m expecting a lot. It’s a lot of pressure, but I don’t really pay attention to the noise. The pressure is always going to be there. It’s just [on] me to go out there and perform.” When the lights were bright, Kuminga showed up.

If he can channel the magic he found in his third season, Kuminga could blossom in an egalitarian Hawks offense.

Kuminga is set to be re-evaluated at the end of the All-Star break, which started Friday. Look for a hungrier version of himself to be unleashed in his Hawks debut.