vvoland wrote:AirP. wrote:vvoland wrote:
Cool story, bro. Too bad none of that happened.
Then why hasn't he played, the most athletically gifted player on the team, GS used a lottery pick (a huge asset) to get him, didn't just trade him to get rid of him. If he would play good defense which he can do and just run the offense vs call his own number to stop the offense he would have been playing a lot more.
Kerr couldn't care less about athleticism or draft status.
In his 4 years here, JK had a ton of different roles: starting 3, starting 4, starting 5, bench scorer, POA defender, DNP-CD collector. Two years ago, when wigs was out with this father's illness, JK started 30 games, next to Steph and Dray, and was instrumental in helping us avoid the play-in that year. Wigs came back for the playoffs and JK went from 30+ mins a night to DNP-CDs or single digit minutes.
In Klay's last season, JK came off the bench, started, was the main bench scorer, was a complimentary scorer to Steph, and even started at the 4. After Dray's suspension, JK played pretty well and was a key reason we finished the season 25-12 or whatever it was. Got bounced in the play-in but I wonder if JK would have seen the floor in the playoffs that season or rode the bench in favor of Saric or Santos.
This year, JK's role went from starting (Kerr quit that idea after first 3 games), to anchoring the 2nd unit, to starting, again, to coming in as the swiss-army knife off the bench. The only time he had a clearly defined role, for more than 10 games, was when Wigs was out and that was 2 years ago. Since then, he's been jerked around more than a porn star. He's taken it in stride and was ready when called upon. Not sure how everyone else is reading that to mean he's entitled.
Things were starting to click for him and I think he would have found his role fairly quickly once Jimmy came, IF he didn't destroy his ankle for 3 months. JK struggled when he came back, didn't look like himself, physically, until the Minny series, and Kerr didn't have the time or the games to try an bring JK along. I disagree with the DNP-CDs but I do get why he lost his spot in the rotation as the 1st guy off the bench.
Sometimes, it just doesn't work out. Instead of ascribing motivations to a 22 year old that I've never met, or a wildly successful head coach, I would rather take the things that were actually said at face value. If you disagree, I can't blame you. I will, however, continue to disagree with the idea that JK didn't do what was asked of him and is an entitled player who just wants to call his own number. I've watched all of his minutes and while I disagree with the shot selection, i don't see a selfish player than only cares about his stats. I see a guy that thinks his talent is being underutilized and he can't reach his ceiling by riding the bench and never having a clear role defined for, not given to, him.
So, you don't think he was told to quit ignoring Curry which is what I saw and kept hearing as the reason why he couldn't get regular minutes? Playing the position, he's put on the floor isn't him just falling in line, the guy shot at the same rate Kevin Durrant shot this year, 17.9 FGA per36, THATS INSANE. But I guess keep thinking Kuminga was doing what he was asked to (seems odd he was told to just call his own number so much) do on the offensive end and it's been reported that Kerr had an issue with that, I wonder if this was ever relayed to Kuminga or do you think Kerr kept this as a secret? Putting up stats and playing your role are asked to play are not the same thing.
He's got some fans in the Miami fan base.