Apr 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talks with the media before the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy

The Golden State Warriors captured Game 1 of their first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets, winning a defensive battle 95-85, putting them in a position to head back to San Francisco with a series lead if they can snag another win in Game 2. However, all of this has come without one of Golden State’s best players on the court.

In the Warriors’ regular season finale against the Los Angeles Clippers, head coach Steve Kerr opted to bench forward Jonathan Kuminga in a controversial move. Since that move, Kuminga hasn’t touched the floor in the two games since and doesn’t seem to be joining the rotation anytime soon. When asked about the move, Kerr sent a message to the young forward.

“Jonathan [Kuminga] has been fantastic. His attitude, his energy on the bench, cheering guys on, staying ready. He’s a great, great young guy,” Kerr said on Willard & Dibs. “This has been tough on him, but he’s doing exactly what he should be doing, which is staying ready.”

Before his move to the bench, Kuminga was averaging 9.4 points over his last five games. As can be seen by the numbers, his role changed significantly after the Jimmy Butler acquisition.

“I’ve told him, and our coaches have told him things can change in a heartbeat in the NBA,” Kerr added. “He’s got to just be ready for when his time comes and that’s exactly what he’s doing. I would be surprised if at some point his time doesn’t come. When you’re in a good groove, you just keep doing what you’re doing and then you adjust as you go.”

There’s no telling just yet what the future may hold for Kuminga, but it’s becoming less likely that it will be in Golden State going forward.