Player Spotlight: Jonathan Kuminga 'Ready for the Moment'

In Saturday's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, Jonathan Kuminga led all scorers with 24 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Kuminga also led the game in rebounds (8), made 3-pointers (4) and tied a game-high in blocks (2).

“I liked his (Kuminga's) aggressiveness," Head Coach Steve Kerr said. "He shot the ball with a lot of confidence and had eight rebounds, so he was much more active on the glass. We want that to continue. He showed his athleticism and did a good job.”

Rebounding has been an emphasis for Kuminga, who grabbed all eight of his rebounds on the defensive glass.

"That’s something I’ve been consistently working on,” Kuminga said. “I’m working on being in the mix every time.”

He already has the athleticism and physical tools to be an effective rebounder but understands that rebounding also involves effort, technique and a quick reaction time.

In the first quarter, Kuminga bodied up the taller Lakers' big man Christian Wood, forcing a miss. After securing the rebound, he threw a cross-court laser pass to rookie Brandin Podziemski, who quickly converted a layup on the other end.

Another aspect of Kuminga rounding out his game is his growth as a perimeter shooter. After shooting 33.6 percent from deep in his rookie season, he rose to 37.0 percent on roughly the same volume last season. Kuminga shot 4-for-8 (50 percent) from three on Saturday, with a combined one dribble before all of his makes. Three of those 3-pointers were strictly catch-and-shoot and his lone dribble was purely to get a step closer to the 3-point line.

“My shot felt good, I feel comfortable shooting," Kuminga said. "Picking up knowledge from some of the best shooters in the world.”

Coach Kerr said he viewed Kuminga as exclusively a power forward last season due to spacing concerns that may present themselves without a floor-spacing big. With the addition of Dario Šarić and the potential for more spacing from Kuminga, Kerr said he expects more flexibility with how he can use the 6'8 forward.

"You could definitely play JK with a shooting big," Kerr said. "But it was tougher to play him last year with Draymond and Loon. You just don't get the spacing that you would optimally like to have. I think we have more possibilities this year with Dario because of Dario's ability to pass and space the floor as a big."

On Saturday, Kuminga shot 4-for-6 from inside the arc and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. His most electrifying play came in the fourth quarter when he caught a lob from Kendric Davis and slammed in the dunk.

With the addition of Chris Paul, one of the league's top assist guys, particularly on lobs, Kuminga's athletic ability as a vertical spacer can be amplified. Although the two didn't share the court on Saturday, they have been working together for much of training camp.

Kuminga shared postgame that Paul and veteran forward Rudy Gay have taken on a “bigger brother” leadership role for him that Andre Iguodala held in his first two seasons.

Defensively, Kuminga made fantastic plays, changing and altering several shots around the basket. He tied rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis for a game-high two blocks, pinning Cam Reddish's layup attempt against the glass and meeting Max Christie at the apex of his shot.

Entering his third NBA season, Kuminga understands the magnitude of this year, both individually and collectively.

“I know it’s a big year, not just for me but the team as a whole.” Kuminga said.

He credits his teammates for helping him feel comfortable and ready for the moment.

“I felt comfortable,” Kuminga said following his debut. “I’ve been around these guys for three years now…being around these guys has helped me grow as a person and basketball player."