Jonathan Kuminga Benched: Warriors' Drama, Trade Buzz

Less than two months after extending his stay in the Bay Area, Jonathan Kuminga’s relationship with the Warriors has frayed. Steve Kerr bumped him to the bench on Nov. 12 and he hasn’t played since; a team source told ESPN, “He feels like the scapegoat again.” Knee tendonitis sidelined him, but he’d averaged 17.5 points on 55.4% shooting in the first six games — meaning this split matters for Golden State’s chemistry and Kuminga’s market value. Merlin sees a crossroads: the organization thinks “Kuminga, even in a condensed role, must shake off some of his built-up resentment” and produce for whatever role Kerr assigns. If he embraces a high-level sixth-man role his trade value spikes; if not, a change of scenery looks increasingly likely with a 2027 club option giving the Warriors leverage.