Six months after his departure from the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga characterized his reunion with his former team as "just another day" in the NBA. Speaking to reporters for the first time before facing the Warriors as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kuminga, a former lottery pick, mentioned his previous team only once.
When asked about the matchup and his successor as the potential future of the Warriors, Kuminga stated, "I haven’t really watched the Warriors." He indicated he hadn't been following the team's performance or player developments.
The highly anticipated game for Kuminga has been overshadowed by significant news for the Timberwolves: an injury to star player Anthony Edwards, who will require surgery for a knee issue. This situation places additional focus on Kuminga as the team seeks to compensate for Edwards' absence.
Kuminga's previous encounter with the Warriors occurred in February after he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. In that game, he came off the bench and played a limited role in a 126-110 loss to Golden State, scoring just one point on nine field goal attempts.
Over the offseason, Kuminga signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Timberwolves. Reflecting on the upcoming game, he remarked, "It’s just another day. Just another game against any other team. I’m sure there will be some familiar faces, people that I spent a lot of time with the last few years. But it’s just another day. It’s just another day in the NBA. Nothing more than that."
Edwards' injury, however, is expected to increase Kuminga's offensive opportunities. While he has embraced a role-player mentality, similar to what was asked of him by the Warriors, he may now have a greater chance to be featured. In his first four games with Minnesota, Kuminga has averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 29.8 minutes. His current performance is marked by active defense, a willingness to defer offensively, and a 46.7% three-point shooting percentage, distinguishing his play from his time with Golden State.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who had a reportedly strained relationship with Kuminga, commented on his former player's development. "Like most young players, he’s learning and growing and getting better. More power to him. I want him to have a great career. This seems like a great spot. He’s got a great coach, Chris [Finch], and he’s playing with some superstar players in the backcourt. … Yeah, wish him well," Kerr said. He added that Kuminga and his successor, Yaxel Lendeborg, are "very different players."