Jonathan Kuminga’s fit with Warriors’ Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green questioned by Steve Kerr

Jonathan Kuminga’s fit next to Jimmy Butler is the biggest question for the Golden State Warriors heading into the postseason. It’s been a question since the Warriors acquired Butler — one that has only grown more prominent as the team positions itself for a deep playoff run. And it’s clear to head coach Steve Kerr that their fit together has been less than ideal.

On 95.7 The Game, Kerr talked about how Butler has changed Kuminga’s role since joining the Dubs.

“Jimmy’s arrival took away a lot of Jonathan’s minutes at four. As soon as Jimmy arrived, we started winning, and we leaned in lineup combinations that enhanced Jimmy because we were winning and Jonathan was out,” Kerr explained. “So we’re going to keep doing what’s been winning. But the lineup with Jimmy, Draymond, and JK doesn’t fit. It just doesn’t. We need more spacing, and we’ve found other lineups that have clicked.”

The analytics back the Warriors head coach’s assessment. The Butler-Green-Kuminga lineup trio has a -24.9 net rating in 38 minutes. And their offensive and defensive ratings have been terrible: a 97.5 ORTG and a 122.4 DRTG, signifying an inability to score and defend at a high level together. And to top it all off, this trio has been outscored by 26 points when they’ve shared the floor.

As Kerr said, a big part of why this lineup has failed is the lack of spacing. All three players are non-shooters at this point in their careers, so defenses are daring them to shoot. That puts a huge strain on Stephen Curry because defenses are way more willing to sell out to stop him when they know he has no other shooters on the floor. Not to mention, these Butler-Green-Kuminga lineups tend to lack size and rebounding. It makes the Warriors vulnerable on the glass, which is another explanation for this lineup’s poor defensive rating.

But Kuminga’s poor fit with Butler and Green doesn’t necessarily mean he’s unplayable. In the same interview, Kerr praised Kuminga’s adaptability and reaffirmed his role on this Warriors team.

“You’ve gotta adapt to whatever’s happening with the team,” Kerr continued. “Jonathan’s done a great job of that. He’s working hard, he’s playing well when he’s out there. I’m just going with the lineup combinations that I think are gonna give us the best chance to win. There’s gonna be nights where he’s absolutely part of that like the Laker game, and there’s gonna be nights where I go to Buddy, or Moses, or Gary Payton. It just changes every game based on what’s happening, and I have to read that as a coach.”

Kuminga won’t be a necessary staple of Kerr’s closing lineups, but he will factor heavily into the Warriors’ playoff success. His size and athleticism raise the Warriors’ ceiling, especially in certain matchups. So, while he might not fit perfectly next to Butler, the Warriors need Kuminga. And like the story of Kuminga’s career in Golden State, they have to figure out how to maximize his potential.