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The Golden State Warriors were without most of their lineup Friday night. Jonathan Kuminga is among those absent, although he was not initially expected to do so.
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Kuminga has not appeared in the Warriors lineup in recent times. Steve Kerr has taken the veteran forward out of the rotation, but Friday’s game is expected to be a great opportunity for Kuminga to get involved.
Unfortunately, Kuminga was reportedly scratched while dealing with a minor back issue.
“[He got hurt] Right before the game,” Kerr told reporters. “I didn’t know [if it will linger]. I have no idea. “
Kuminga’s sudden absence comes at strange timing. In a few weeks, he will be eligible to be traded after re-signing a two-year contract with the Warriors this offseason.
Kuminga is not expected to stay with the Warriors long-term. At this point, not being traded is more of a shock than being traded.
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Kuminga was last on the court on December 18 when the Warriors faced off against the Phoenix Suns. In the 99-98 loss, he played less than 10 minutes.
Prior to this, Kuminga had won three consecutive games. Kuminga began the year as a full-time starter before he began to fall out of the rotation. In the first 12 games, he averaged 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, shooting 48% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
Kuminga has appeared in just 18 of the Warriors’ 35 games so far. He’s been healthy for most of the season. Obviously, the Warriors don’t have any direct answers yet regarding Kuminga’s possible schedule.
The Warriors return to the court on Saturday to take on the Utah Jazz. Kuminga’s status for this outing remains up in the air. If he doesn’t play on Saturday, Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers will be his next chance to re-enter the lineup.
