Steve Kerr kept things real when discussing Jonathan Kuminga and his expected return to the court. Golden State Warriors fans will know that Kuminga is one of the young and upcoming stars in the NBA and has established himself on both ends of the court.
While the Warriors are certainly a successful franchise when compared to most around the league, they have struggled this season, partly due to injuries. At 28-27, Golden State is struggling to secure a spot in the postseason, residing in 10th place in the Western Conference.
There are several reasons why the Warriors have underperformed this season. One of them is Kuminga and his lack of availability. Kerr spoke on Kuminga and his current physical condition on Thursday.
Steve Kerr Reveals Jonathan Kuminga Isn’t Ready To Scrimmage
Against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 4, Kuminga suffered an ankle sprain. He hasn’t played in the weeks since, and his prolonged recovery hasn’t sat well with fans. Kerr revealed that he has yet to participate in scrimmages.
Steve Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga returning to practice: "He looked good, but he hasn't scrimmaged yet, so he's still a ways off."
(via @WillardAndDibs)
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 21, 2025
Scrimmages are mini-games that allow players to replicate the levels of contact and pressure that they feel in actual games. While the young Warriors star has made his return to practice, he is still not ready for that uptick in workload.
Kuminga has not played in the last 21 games for the Warriors — they’ve gone 10-11 in that span. Across the 32 games he played so far this season, Kuminga averaged 16.8 points and five rebounds.
Having Kuminga at full strength and paired up with Jimmy Butler is something that the Warriors believe will increase their chances of contending for a championship. Since the Western Conference is extremely competitive, there is no denying that Golden State must be closer to full strength to earn a playoff spot.
Since Kuminga has returned to practice, it would be fair to say that he is closing in on those scrimmages. Barring a setback, Kumingo should return to the court relatively soon, although Kerr’s comments should have fans tempering their expectations.
