Warriors select Jonathan Kuminga with the 7th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft

[Big J]

These two absolutely should not be getting minutes this year. They aren't going to be playoff contributors, so it's pointless to play them.

[EvanZ]

Interesting stats

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[HiRez]

Interesting stats

Are they? I'm not very familiar with DRE as an advanced stat but with only 6 games played for Kuminga it seems to be of very limited utility. In any case, Kuminga's dismal efficiency is likely to sink him in just about any advanced stat algorithm, but I think most people aren't too concerned with that at this point. He's been shooting a bit better lately as well (and so has Moody).

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Watch on YouTube

Kuminga's stats in G-League.

20/6/3 + 1,8 steals + 0,4 blocks
4,6 TOs + 4,2 fouls
41% FG / 28% 3pt / 71% FT

5 games sample size.

What are we doing here? What point is there in sending Kuminga to dominate a glorified pick up game where he practices moves that won't work at the next level (some of those paint scoop layups will definitely get blocked at the NBA level). Get him onto the main roster. Get him bigger minutes against bad teams and don't bench him for a full week if he doesn't go for 8 and 6 in 5 minutes of action.

I think the G-League is at a higher level than the ACC or any other big time college level
Even with 4 years of college most rookies are not playable in the NBA playoffs.

I think there is a value in taking high school stars and having them play against players that are in between high school level and NBA level. If you throw a highschool kid into the NBA nothing he does will work. But at a big time college level or g-league some of his moves will work. Then the kid can perfect what does work and abandon what does not work.

I think there is value in playing at the level that is inbeteen high school and NBA until the player is good enough to just toy with opposing G-League or ACC players.

Kuminga has not played 4 years of college ball. Unless he was a basketball savant like LeBron there was no reason to expect him to be ready. There might situations where his good body or youthfull excited energy may be worth playing but the one year and done college players are too mentally raw

[FNQ]

These two absolutely should not be getting minutes this year. They aren't going to be playoff contributors, so it's pointless to play them.

Rotations usually tighten up in the playoffs too. Guess we shouldnt be giving Lee or JTA any time either - pointless to play them

[Big J]

These two absolutely should not be getting minutes this year. They aren't going to be playoff contributors, so it's pointless to play them.

Rotations usually tighten up in the playoffs too. Guess we shouldnt be giving Lee or JTA any time either - pointless to play them

Lee & JTA are positive contributors. Rookies are typically a net negative.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

There is a play on the G-League video. I think Kuminga took a dribble or two and then found himself just inside the free-throw line with his defender having drop down deeper towards the rim and a teammate and his defender also down under the rim and three other defenders on all sides of Kuminga were sagging a little bit towards Kuminga and away from their men. When Kuminga discovered he was alone he faced up and shot. I think the ball hit front rim, then back rim and backboard and then dropped in the hoop. Half the time that shots not gonna go in until Kuminga gets a little more comfortable. He recognized that he was alone, which is not something to be taken for granted, then he realized he should shoot instead of attacking the rim through the crowd, but the fact that he had to think about what he should do probably accounts for why he hit rim instead of swishing the ball through the hoop.

I don't see how a player is supposed to get smooth correct reactions and situations like that without playing time. I think the G-league Clippers miss played that defense. Kuminga will have opportunities like that in the NBA but the Mets play defense will only leave the opening for about half as much time as the G-league Clippers did. Instead of giving Kuminga a second to be alone, realize he is alone and shoot, the NBA players will give him a half second. If Kuminga has to recognize and react quicker he will be slightly more off on his shot and the ball will bounce out. But Kuminga's decision to shoot was correct. The defense gave hum that shot and he needed to shoot it even though he prefers driving or pulling up closer to the rim.

Because coming to hit the shot it will reinforce his correct decision to shoot the shot. But in the NBA where he has less time to react he will miss that shot which will reinforce a decision not to shoot that shot. This is why high school kids should not jump strait to the NBA. If you jump straight to the NBA the defenders mistakes won't be as big so you won't learn to take advantage of that type of mistake. NBA defenders will make the same mistake that the G-league clippers made but the NBA defenders will recover faster. There still enough time for Comingo to make that shot when the NBA defenders make their mistake but if Kuminga messes under the pressure of recovering NBA defenders then he will stop attempting that shot and that shot won't be part of his normal play.

My vote is let Kuminga dominate the G-League for a month. Then bring them back to the NBA Warriors We will have uses for him in certain situations. I might want to play Kuminga 5 minutes per game in the playoffs.

I believe and not showing the opponent just one look. We don't have anybody else quite like like Kuminga. I want to be able to put Kuminga out there as a gimmick fir a few minutes and then take him out of the game before the other team figures out how to exploit Kuminga's weaknesses (inexperience). Even if we only get five minutes a game out of Kuminga in the playoffs that is still five minutes of rest for somebody.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

X

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Bill Willoughby drafted out of high school using the hardship exemption that resulted from the Spencer Haywood lawsuit.

Willoughby had a 47 inch vertical jump. He's one of five players to block Kareem skyhook. Chamberlain twice in one game but maybe before Kareem perfected his skyhook. Artis Gilmore, damned impressive, back before Artis Gilmore's legs became one when Artis still had spring in his step. They called it a goaltend but I think Gilmore got it at the peak and it wasn't a goal tend. Ralph Sampson, fine athlete was listed at 7' 4" but some say he was only 7' 2"

And then there was 6' 8" Bill Willoughby the only non-7-footer in the group.
Willoughby blocked Kareem in the 1981 playoffs

Watch on YouTube

I got a good look at the Willoughby when he was a 23 year old 6 year pro playing with Moses in the 1981 NBA finals against my hometown Celtics.

Willoughby had Scottie Pippen athleticism. He showed no signs of having Scottie Pippen's court vision. And I suspect his hands weren't good. He wasn't really a good shooter. He said he showed no sign of having basketball IQ on the offensive end.
He could slash the basket and dunk if he got a clear path.

On defense his basketball Q looked slightly better than average and he was a good defender.

Bill Willoughby never got the chance to learn how to exploit the mistakes of lessor players at the college or G-league level. Don't deprive your young rookies of the chance to play against weaker players or you might end up with a Bill Willoughby who has no offensive moves.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

I think Kwame Brown should have been sent to G-League but G-League did not exist. To get a guy ready to play playoff defense in one or 2 years G-League would help because they neey need massive plaing time to develop their instincts.

But I think G-League matters even more for offense. Too learn how to exploit defensive mistakes it is better if the player faces many defensive mistakes. Master the basics first before moving on to learn how to beat good NBA defense. If a guy is slow beat him with speed. If a guy is snall beat him with power. If a guy or team is stupid beat them with intelligence. If a guy is lazy beat him with hustle.

Players need to see the flaws quickly and exploit them before the help comes. I preopse that this is an easier skill to develop against inferior competition.

[and1GS]

These two absolutely should not be getting minutes this year. They aren't going to be playoff contributors, so it's pointless to play them.

Rotations usually tighten up in the playoffs too. Guess we shouldnt be giving Lee or JTA any time either - pointless to play them

Lee & JTA are positive contributors. Rookies are typically a net negative.

Have you seen Lee play lately? And JTA is a coin toss. Kuminga in his good games can hit Poole level of impact - why bury him just because he's a rookie? Especially when others are struggling I don't see the logic.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Rotations usually tighten up in the playoffs too. Guess we shouldnt be giving Lee or JTA any time either - pointless to play them

Lee & JTA are positive contributors. Rookies are typically a net negative.

Have you seen Lee play lately? And JTA is a coin toss. Kuminga in his good games can hit Poole level of impact - why bury him just because he's a rookie? Especially when others are struggling I don't see the logic.

If 2018 Klay shows up and plays 35 minutes a game including 10 minutes a game as a small forward then we can cut JTA and Lee out of the line-up.
If Klay gets injured again and misses the playoffs then JTA and Lee have to play unless you prefer playing more Payton or Moody or Kuminga as a small forward.

[FNQ]

Rotations usually tighten up in the playoffs too. Guess we shouldnt be giving Lee or JTA any time either - pointless to play them

Lee & JTA are positive contributors. Rookies are typically a net negative.

Have you seen Lee play lately? And JTA is a coin toss. Kuminga in his good games can hit Poole level of impact - why bury him just because he's a rookie? Especially when others are struggling I don't see the logic.

I hate the idea of selling someone short because of what's typical, when you absolutely have the time and tools to figure out what's actual

Steph has never shot higher than 50% from 3. By the law of averages, his 3pt shot typically doesn't go in

Jordan Poole is a 28th pick. Typically, 28th picks don't amount to much more than end of the bench guys

GP2 is 29, and typically 29 year olds who've never played more than 400 minutes in a season aren't guys who should get 15-20mpg on a contender.

What about our situation is typical anyways? Is it typical that contending teams have mid-lotto draft picks on their team? Are 19 year olds typically as basketball saavy as Moses Moody?

"Typical" is great as a descriptor if we were betting. Its not a good excuse to not find out what we have, when the veterans arent doing enough to keep their already meager roles

[Little Digger]

“He did give us life," Draymond Green said of Kuminga. "Hopefully, he can build on that, we can build on that, continue to get him more minutes. I think I have spoken on that before. I think in order for us to go far, he is going to have to play a part in that. He just has some things that none of us other guys bring to the table. Some of the things, the tools that he has as a basketball player as far as his quickness, his speed, his athleticism, his strength, and youth -- the majority of us don’t have that. So I think he is going to be important for us and tonight was big. He worked his minutes. Six minutes. Plus 11. He worked his minutes. That’s all you can ask for. Work your minutes, and then hopefully, they’ll grow. It was incredible to see. We needed it.”

“We needed the energy," Kerr said of Kuminga after the win. "We needed his strength and defense and speed. He came in and changed the game for us. I thought he was fantastic. Second half, we thought about it, but we wanted to give the other guys a look and see if we could continue with the way we have done getting to this point at 21-5, so we decided not to go back to him. But he was brilliant and deserves more minutes."

[and1GS]

Kuminga could put up 12/5/5 in 5 minutes and still be benched for the following week. I'm not sure what more the kid can do short of a freaky friday swap with Looney, Lee or Chiozza.

[KevinMcreynolds]

Rotations usually tighten up in the playoffs too. Guess we shouldnt be giving Lee or JTA any time either - pointless to play them

Lee & JTA are positive contributors. Rookies are typically a net negative.

Have you seen Lee play lately? And JTA is a coin toss. Kuminga in his good games can hit Poole level of impact - why bury him just because he's a rookie? Especially when others are struggling I don't see the logic.

This x1000

Lee is giving us nothing. JTA has good games, but it's also obvious when he doesn't "have it" on a given night and can be sat. Chiozza is worthless. Bjelica is also worthless when his 3's aren't falling. That's a lot of minutes that could be spread around.

[Onus]

“He did give us life," Draymond Green said of Kuminga. "Hopefully, he can build on that, we can build on that, continue to get him more minutes. I think I have spoken on that before. I think in order for us to go far, he is going to have to play a part in that. He just has some things that none of us other guys bring to the table. Some of the things, the tools that he has as a basketball player as far as his quickness, his speed, his athleticism, his strength, and youth -- the majority of us don’t have that. So I think he is going to be important for us and tonight was big. He worked his minutes. Six minutes. Plus 11. He worked his minutes. That’s all you can ask for. Work your minutes, and then hopefully, they’ll grow. It was incredible to see. We needed it.”

“We needed the energy," Kerr said of Kuminga after the win. "We needed his strength and defense and speed. He came in and changed the game for us. I thought he was fantastic. Second half, we thought about it, but we wanted to give the other guys a look and see if we could continue with the way we have done getting to this point at 21-5, so we decided not to go back to him. But he was brilliant and deserves more minutes."

LD back from a long hiatus glad to see you're ok

[GSWFan1994]

“He did give us life," Draymond Green said of Kuminga. "Hopefully, he can build on that, we can build on that, continue to get him more minutes. I think I have spoken on that before. I think in order for us to go far, he is going to have to play a part in that. He just has some things that none of us other guys bring to the table. Some of the things, the tools that he has as a basketball player as far as his quickness, his speed, his athleticism, his strength, and youth -- the majority of us don’t have that. So I think he is going to be important for us and tonight was big. He worked his minutes. Six minutes. Plus 11. He worked his minutes. That’s all you can ask for. Work your minutes, and then hopefully, they’ll grow. It was incredible to see. We needed it.”

“We needed the energy," Kerr said of Kuminga after the win. "We needed his strength and defense and speed. He came in and changed the game for us. I thought he was fantastic. Second half, we thought about it, but we wanted to give the other guys a look and see if we could continue with the way we have done getting to this point at 21-5, so we decided not to go back to him. But he was brilliant and deserves more minutes."

Nice one!

[floppymoose]

I remain super excited about Kuminga. Once I watched some of his g-league play, I was so happy when he fell to the 7 pick. no trades!

[FNQ]

“He did give us life," Draymond Green said of Kuminga. "Hopefully, he can build on that, we can build on that, continue to get him more minutes. I think I have spoken on that before. I think in order for us to go far, he is going to have to play a part in that. He just has some things that none of us other guys bring to the table. Some of the things, the tools that he has as a basketball player as far as his quickness, his speed, his athleticism, his strength, and youth -- the majority of us don’t have that. So I think he is going to be important for us and tonight was big. He worked his minutes. Six minutes. Plus 11. He worked his minutes. That’s all you can ask for. Work your minutes, and then hopefully, they’ll grow. It was incredible to see. We needed it.”

“We needed the energy," Kerr said of Kuminga after the win. "We needed his strength and defense and speed. He came in and changed the game for us. I thought he was fantastic. Second half, we thought about it, but we wanted to give the other guys a look and see if we could continue with the way we have done getting to this point at 21-5, so we decided not to go back to him. But he was brilliant and deserves more minutes."

It’s nice to see Kerr take more ownership of what’s going on, still miffed about the SAS challenges.. but he’s seeing it and acknowledging it. Hopefully the minutes come up too, otherwise just lip service, but the kid has too much talent to ride pine behind JTA right now