After dragging out the Jonathan Kuminga situation for longer than it had any business going, the Golden State Warriors pulled the plug before the trade deadline. The deal they ultimately got for holding onto their young talent for so long was incredibly underwhelming.
Kristaps Porzingis ended up being the big prize for finally ending the Kuminga saga in Golden State. Even if Porzingis did not have the unfortunate health issues that he did, it was still a lackluster return. What has made it look even worse is just how well Kuminga has played with the Atlanta Hawks.
The problem here for the Warriors is they do not even know their old forward is balling out. At the very least, one crucial member of the organization is either willfully oblivious or pretending to be. Mike Dunleavy Jr. told Tim Kawakami he has not been keeping up with Kuminga's time in Atlanta.
“I haven’t watched anything yet.” Dunleavy said. “We’ve been really busy with stuff here in a myriad of different ways. I think with JK all along, I mean, the talent is there. This guy is a good basketball player when he plays the right way, when he does the right things. We wish him the best."
For all of the gripes Los Angeles Lakers fans will have with the job Rob Pelinka is doing in Hollywood, this is a situation to look to for comfort. Bob Myers did a masterful job building the Golden Dynasty in the Bay Area. His successor has been largely disappointing.
Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga mistake was an ugly one — to the glee of the Lakers
Admittedly, it is still very early into Kuminga's time with the Hawks. The early returns, though, have been promising.
Thus far, Kuminga has averaged 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game with the Hawks, shooting 67.7 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from beyond the arc. That efficiency is unsustainable over a longer stretch, but it does immediately pop off the charts.
This whole thing is more about the bigger picture in Golden State. The Warriors organization tried to have their cake and eat it too, attempting to navigate two timelines. They failed. Their efforts left both the present and future equally mediocre for the franchise.
It is safe to say the Warriors will not be challenging the Lakers for California supremacy anytime soon. The Luka Doncic era in Los Angeles should go largely uncontested by their in-state rival.