Home/NBA

The Golden State Warriors are in the midst of a shambolic season, struggling with a record of 17 wins out of 35 games—a far cry from their ambitions for a playoff berth. Amid these struggles, the situation in the locker room has also grown tense. During their recent loss against the Denver Nuggets, forward Jonathan Kuminga had to sit out the last 18 minutes of the game and watch his team blow out an 18-point cushion for the fourth time this season.

This did not sit well with the 21-year-old, as a recent article by The Athletic reported that he has “lost faith” in head coach Steve Kerr’s decisions. Following Kuminga’s statements about Kerr, Stephen Curry chimed in with his opinions on the trust issues fiasco.

Stephen Curry takes a neutral stance on Kuminga-Kerr controversy

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

After the Warriors nearly avoided another catastrophic loss against the Detroit Pistons, Curry sat down to address the recent locker room controversy. Stephen Curry, who has gone through the same predicament during the early days of his NBA career, offered a neutral stance on the situation. According to him, Kuminga, who is in the midst of a breakout season and has every right to be upset about his playing minutes. “He is not wrong in being upset, pissed off, wanting to play,” remarked Curry.

However, he also emphasized that these experiences are valuable “learning lessons” that every player encounters. Kerr himself wasn’t exempt, noting, “I played 15 years and all 15 I was frustrated with my playing time.” However, can this situation turn into something bigger with the trade deadline on the horizon?

A storm is brewing in the Warriors’ locker room

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Addressing Kuminga’s recent statements, Steve Kerr offered his reasoning for not sending the young forward back into the game. From the coach’s perspective, Kuminga has been sitting out for a long time, and Andrew Wiggins was playing well. He said, “Then at that [later] point, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do. He had been sitting for a while, so I stayed with the group that was out there, and, obviously, we couldn’t close it out.”

Read More: Jonathan Kuminga Stirs the Internet with Dubious Decision Before Warriors Game: “My Guy is Calling Out for Help”

The duo had a one-on-one conversation and seemed to have resolved the issue, which was reflected in Kuminga’s performance against the Pistons. He clocked his highest playing time of the season (35:38 minutes) and closed the game with 11 points and six rebounds. However, although the situation has simmered down, it could potentially escalate once Draymond Green returns from his indefinite suspension. With Green back in the lineup, their frontcourt rotation mix is bound to get even more complicated. Therefore, the Warriors will have to make a few tough decisions ahead of the trade deadline.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Watch This Story – Draymond Green Drops 187 Ranks Lower After Suffering More Than $1,000,000 in NBA Fines

What are your thoughts on this disruption within the Warriors’ locker room? Let us know in the comments!