Jonathan Kuminga has spent weeks glued to the bench.No explanation.No rotation spot.
No real answers.Naturally, NBA fans assumed the usual reasons: effort, attitude, development, defense.
Stacey King says… nope.
“I Love Steve Kerr He’s Wrong”
That’s how King started it.On record.No hesitation.
The former Bulls forward and longtime Steve Kerr teammate didn’t dance around the topic. According to King, whatever is happening between Kerr and Kuminga has nothing to do with basketball.
And that’s where the internet leaned forward.
Sixteen Games. Zero Minutes. Questions Everywhere.
Before Tuesday night, Kuminga hadn’t played in 16 straight games.Not injured.
Not suspended.Just… unavailable.When trade rumors popped up, fans assumed Golden State was protecting him until the January trade moratorium passed.
The deadline came.Kuminga asked for a trade.The Warriors said no.And still… no minutes.
Stacey King Went Straight to His Sources
King didn’t rely on vibes.He called people inside the organization.
Multiple people.And what he heard didn’t match the narrative at all.
“If you didn’t know the situation,” King said, “you’d think Kuminga was a bad kid.”According to his sources?
He’s the opposite.
No Attitude. No Laziness. No Problems.
King checked all the usual boxes teams worry about:
- Late to meetings? No.
- Poor work ethic? No.
- Locker room issue? No.
What he kept hearing was consistent.Kuminga is a hard worker, a good teammate, and someone who has sacrificed his game for the team.That’s not a problem player.
“It Seems Like It’s Personal”
King was careful with his words.But the implication was loud.“I don’t want to make any claims,” he said, before making one anyway. “It seems like it’s personal.”
Not scheme-related.Not development-related.Not attitude-related.Personal.
The Plot Thickens (But the Trade Doesn’t)
Despite all the noise, reports suggest Golden State still doesn’t plan to trade Kuminga especially with Butler out.
So now he’s:
- Not traded
- Not consistently played
- But clearly capable
Which somehow makes this situation even stranger.
Stacey King Might’ve Been Right
Kuminga didn’t sulk.Didn’t complain publicly.Didn’t look disengaged.He waited.
He worked.nd when he finally got minutes, he delivered.
That’s not a problem player.That’s a problem situation.
Final Take
Is Steve Kerr one of the greatest coaches ever?Yes.Is Jonathan Kuminga a bad teammate?
According to everyone Stacey King spoke to absolutely not.
So if this isn’t about effort, attitude, or talent…Then yeah.People are going to wonder if it’s personal.And after Tuesday night, that question isn’t going away anytime soon.