For Jonathan Kuminga, the 2023-2024 regular season was a tale of two halves. 

Kuminga was in Year Three and approaching a make-or-break point where he could step up or find himself as a trade piece for his replacement. But then, the Draymond Green suspension happened. 

The Golden State Warriors were clearly frustrated that Green let the dark side of his instincts take over, but it was also an opportunity for Kuminga to reintroduce himself. 

From January this year until the end of the last regular season, Kuminga averaged 19.0 points (on 54.7/34.8/79.0 shooting splits), 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, all of which were easily well above his career-averages up to that point. The athleticism was obvious, but it was the polish in his game that was remarkable. Too often do athletic players rely on their physical gifts to the point that they will play with simply brute force. 

Kuminga has also been more patient and decisive with his offense, while his defense has been a valuable source of fastbreak points for the Warriors. These forced Golden State head coach Steve Kerr to let Kuminga cook even when Green was done exercising his demons. 

Almost a year later, it’s still the same story with Kuminga.

In the Warriors’ most recent game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Kuminga put in a solid 20 points, five rebounds and five assists while making 8 of 11 shots in 25 minutes of action.

Kuminga was a two-way menace against the Phoenix Suns, matching his career-high with 34 points and knocking down crucial free throws in a 109-105 Warriors victory. Let’s not forget it was him who was also assigned to guard Kevin Durant, who had eight turnovers in the loss. 

This season, Kuminga continues to mold his game into that of a grown man and he’s become more of a playmaker as well. Kuminga is averaging around 2.2 assists per game this year and while that’s more or less within his average last season, the career-best 13.2 assist percentage is proof that it’s become a more deliberate part of his game.  

Kuminga still tends to play mostly with one pace, but it’s hard to fault him if he’s still approaching the peak of his physical powers. It may lead to the occasional foul or turnover, but developing good habits remains a priority. Kuminga had a tough night against the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, who blew Golden State out to end 2024. The Congolese forward had a double-double (18 points and 10 rebounds), but only made four of his 14 shot attempts. However, the silver lining was his 10 made free throws (on 14 attempts), which point to his persistence despite some offensive struggles. 

Even as Jonathan Kuminga has made strides in the last two seasons, it’s hard to imagine him becoming a leading contender for the Most Improved Player award. In the grand scheme of things, it may not matter to Kuminga, who is happy to have erased the uncertainty that hounded him since being selected seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2021 NBA Draft. 

After all, he has already proved that he belongs in the Bay Area.