Film breakdown: Jonathan Kuminga highlights ‘power’ as a power forward in Warriors’ 109-105 win over Suns

In the Golden State Warriors’ much-needed 109-105 victory over Phoenix Suns — a game where growth was symbolized by constant display of power — it was on a typical showcase of finesse and flair by Steph Curry that perhaps showed the biggest indicator of growth for the polarizing Jonathan Kuminga.

Curry drives inside and draws two defenders – one of whom was former teammate and fellow “OG” Kevin Durant – Curry pops to Kuminga in the corner. Despite a few looks from beyond the arc, Kuminga would have taken a three in this situation, something the Suns’ defense would have preferred given his career mark of 33.7% on threes and 32.0% this season on almost four attempts per game. Also consider the time: Choosing to pull up for a three with 14 seconds left on the shot clock would be a blatant miscalculation of the situation at hand.

In past situations where Kuminga would receive passes like the one Curry directed to him, he would often retain possession, hesitate and decide to knock the ball in isolation, either off the dribble or in the low post. While such decisions are justified against favorable matchups where there is an advantage to be taken, Kuminga holds little to no advantage against Durant in a theoretical isolation situation. As such—with Curry in prime position to move after giving up the ball—Kuminga generates an even better look for his team with a simple extra swing up top, followed by a pin-in screen:

While Curry misses a shot he wanted to make more often than not, it was the process behind the shot that should be celebrated — one that has Kuminga’s fingerprints all over it. Steve Kerr made sure to highlight that possession in his praise of Kuminga after the game.

“I just think he turns the corner, I just think he sees snaps well,” Kerr said. “He made a play late in the game where he swung the ball to Draymond, immediately lined up for Steph and Steph got a three. He didn’t make it, but that’s the play where you have to recognize Steph’s your teammate. You see, that he cuts through the court, swings the ball and put a screen on him. That’s the type of play that if he makes, and he does what he does — get downfield, get dirty, get to the rim — now the mix, the mix of Steph, Draymond, JK, now it’s really starting to get powerful.

“I’m so impressed with JK and it just feels like he’s turning the corner. Played so hard last night and again tonight. The rebound at the end right before he was fouled, he came out of nowhere along the baseline to make that play. I think he had about seven boards in the second half. He was fantastic and that’s exactly what we’re looking for and it’s fun to see him deliver.”

Kuminga fits into Kerr’s system — a system that not only requires assertive decision-making, but also fast decision-making consistent with their core tenet of “0.5” basketball – has been questioned ever since he was drafted seventh overall in 2021 NBA Draft. A desire to be the central focus of an approach that runs counter to what has made the Warriors successful has forced Kuminga to fit into a round hole like a square peg. Both the team and the player have been forced to make adjustments and adjustments to make it fit – to mixed results.

One type of accommodation the Warriors have made — and have made — is to have Curry set reverse ball screens to Kuminga through their “small” half-court set to entice a switch to a smaller defender. The setup has been there since the Warriors; the rest is up to Kuminga to finish what he started. He does so against Tyus Jones below:

Once again against Bradley Beal (albeit with a slightly different setup):

And against Royce O’Neale, where he “Barkleys” his way towards the right block:

While against a bigger frontcourt player in Mason Plumlee below, it also counts as a mismatch — and provides a look into the value of Kuminga in the sense that he can attack mismatches up and down the positional spectrum:

Although it can be difficult to blend power and finesse together and make it into something harmonious, it is not completely impossible to achieve. Kuminga has shown flashes of wanting to be the quick decision maker at the power forward position that Draymond Green has been…

…while also being a smashmouth player that adds a raw element to an otherwise beautiful (whenever it works) offense. It’s also a necessary element: along with Gary Payton II, Kuminga is the only non-big on the roster (i.e. aside from Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney) whose attempts at the rim make up the majority of his total shot diet — all of while making 72% of such attempts this season. That mark is tied for second best with Moses Moody and is only beaten by Payton’s 82% – two players who have played significantly fewer minutes than Kuminga.

It is also telling that Kuminga leads the team in free throw attempts per game. 75 possessions (7.0) and free throws per 75 possessions (4.4). He has been blocked on 15.2% of his shot attempts, which also leads the team by a significant amount. On a team that is 29th in free throw attempt rate, Kuminga’s ability to draw fouls has been crucial — and made possible by his power play.

That fact makes it paramount for the Warriors to let Kuminga thrive in his comfort zone of making it through — while helping him toward his comfort spots. Otherwise, Kuminga should know when to be useful off the ball when he was in the aforementioned pin-in possession. It also involves knowing when to use space created by defenders drawn away by more threatening teammates — defenders who, as mentioned earlier, aren’t overly concerned about a Kuminga spot-up jumper.

That mindset of playing the system, playing in the flow of organized chaos and playing off one of the best advantage creators in the league is an opportunity to be rewarded. A recorded after-timeout set by Kerr rewards Kuminga — who slides inside after setting one of two offset screens for Curry — with two free throws. He pays it forward by getting them both to give the Warriors a lead they would never relinquish the rest of the way, a huge development for a player who is shooting 63.5% on free throws this season:

The process of strengthening Kuminga as a key and necessary cog in this often convoluted machine has been an arduous one, filled with ups and downs and achievements that waxed and waned. The push and pull of wanting to keep Kuminga and the desire to send him off to relatively greener pastures has been an ever-present theme over the last four seasons. Being wanted, unwanted, and at various levels in between over the course of several seasons can wear on a player’s mind.

There is a viable course forward if the Warriors decide to commit to Kuminga as a win-now piece and as a building block for the future. Strengthening him involves emphasizing the ‘power’ of his game as a power forward, a position Kerr has put him into.