Jonathan Kuminga Doesn’t Have Good Relationship With Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr

Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t have a good relationship with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, according to NBA insider Sam Amico of Hoops Wire.

Kuminga is a restricted free agent. He doesn’t want to return to the Warriors.

Kerr benched Kuminga for the final regular-season game of last season versus the Los Angeles Clippers and the play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Kuminga played in Games 2 and 3 of the Warriors-Houston Rockets first-round postseason series, but that was only because Jimmy Butler was injured.

Golden State beat Houston in seven games.

Kuminga played in every game of the Warriors-Minnesota Timberwolves second-round playoff series, but that was only because Stephen Curry got injured in Game 1 and missed the rest of the series.

Golden State lost to Minnesota in five games.

The seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga played in 47 games for the Warriors last season. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 45.4% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc and 66.8% from the free-throw line.

The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are interested in Kuminga, who has career averages of 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The forward, though, hasn’t gotten an offer sheet from the Suns or Kings.

As a restricted free agent, Kuminga has three options: re-sign with the Warriors on a new deal, play next season on his $7.9 million qualifying offer with Golden State and enter unrestricted free agency next offseason or sign an offer sheet with a new team.

If Kuminga signs an offer sheet with a new team, the Warriors can either match the offer sheet or let the 2022 NBA champion leave and work on a sign-and-trade deal.

“We’re trying to be responsible,” a Warriors front office executive told NBA reporter Keith Smith of Spotrac. “With the aprons and hard caps and all of that, you can’t just throw money around. We still love Jonathan. We’re hopeful we can figure out a way to strike a balance that works for him and for us.

“But we’re not going to compromise our roster-building ability now, or in the future. We have to be responsible in the way we build our team.”