After the Golden State Warriors benched Jonathan Kuminga, it was strange as to why the move was made. Even though he averaged a career-high 16.1 points per game in 26.3 minutes, it didn’t seem to phase Golden State. While Kuminga thought his worth exceeded $30 million, his team begs to differ. Unfortunately, he might suffer the brunt of his decision.
On the Gil’s Arena Podcast, Gilbert Arenas gave his thoughts from the Warriors’ perspective on why they benched him.
“If he doesn’t sign that contract, his a** is going to that bench and he’s going to be worth a six-man value,” Arenas said. “If he would have signed that contract, what they wanted, he would have been starting, doing everything he wanted to do.”
Going back to Kuminga’s performance last season, he was a spark plug for their offense. His youth, athleticism, and tenacity complimented the veterans of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. While his role changed on a night-to-night basis, teams prepared for Kuminga’s skill set.
Is Jonathan Kuminga worthy of starting for the Warriors?
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The Warriors forward had eight straight games of 20+ points, while he came off the bench for five of those. Kuminga went to the basket with ease, and defenses had a hard time stopping it. Although he’s productive whether he’s on the bench or not, his financial worth for his next contract could diminish. After all, Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley will make around $44 million a year once their new contracts kick in 2025-26.
Arenas continued to illustrate his point by comparing this to star players coming off the bench.
“Because they haven’t come up to the number that they both wanted, they’re going to bring him off the bench,” Arenas said. “Whatever he does off the bench is going to be capped off as a six-man, and that’s what he’s going to be worth.”
“This is like going to Phoenix and saying, ‘Kevin Durant out, Booker out, Beal off the bench… what.’ How does that make sense? I’m scared he’s going to go out there and have 40 (points). I’m scared he’s going to go out there, try to carry the team, and keep his value.”
Despite Kuminga playing his heart out, Arenas is spot on. Injuries could occur, and his value can be diminished. However, teams have seen his potential and his talent. Not to mention, Kuminga is only 22 years old and has more room to grow. The Warriors can get his minutes under control and come to a consensus. If they do, they’ll see how much he brings to Golden State.