NBA Executive Says Jonathan Kuminga Could Mirror Paul George's Rise With Pacers

The situation in San Francisco is tense right now amid an ongoing standoff between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors. While many aren't sure how it will end, one NBA executive took things in a different direction by comparing his current role behind Jimmy Butler to the early days of Paul George's career, when he was stuck behind Danny Granger on the Indiana Pacers.

“One guy that was put in a similar situation is Paul George when he got to Indiana,” an anonymous NBA executive told NBC Sports Bay Area. “When he got there, they were right on the cusp. Danny Granger was playing in front of him, and Lance Stephenson was there. And eventually, he was able to play with that David West group; they were competing for championships."

George was on the Pacers for the first seven years of his career, going from 7.8 points per game as a rookie up to 21.7 points as a starter in his fourth year. Once he was prioritized over the aging Danny Granger, George's career took off, and he ascended into stardom. As the backup to Jimmy Butler, Kuminga is experiencing a similar arc in his early career, but there are key differences that could lead to a completely different result.

“It was like the perfect setup for Paul," said the anonymous GM. "They weren’t a big-market team, but they were a good team. He got a chance to grow while they were trying to win. And a lot of his mistakes weren't as magnified as Kuminga’s have been because of the team he is on.”

Paul George really did have it made on the Pacers. He arrived right around when Granger was starting his decline, which opened up room for him to take over his spot and learn how to win on a contending team. Plus, as a small-market franchise, George wasn't facing a lot of pressure, and he had a long leash to learn and grow from his mistakes.

For Kuminga, Butler's arrival has limited his importance on the team, and unless Jimmy declines or deals with injuries like Granger did, he won't have the same opportunity to step up into a bigger role. To make matters more complicated, this Warriors core has already won four championships.

While Kuminga was there for the 2022 title, he's still just 22 years old and doesn't have the same experience, habits, or mentality that his veteran teammates do. For a Warriors team facing constant pressure to compete, Steve Kerr will always defer to his trusted veteran players, rather than to Kuminga, who has become resentful toward Kerr and the Warriors.

Every mistake Kuminga makes faces harsh consequences, which often come in the form of angry rants, public comments, or DNPs. Kerr admitted that his team rarely practices anymore, which limits Kuminga's growth and development even further.

In the end, only time will tell how this situation plays out. At 35 years old, Butler isn't going to play at a high level for much longer, and Kuminga should be the ideal player to slide in his place and take up his mantle. Of course, before any of that can happen, the Warriors will have to get him signed to a new contract, though negotiations have stalled so far.