Warriors' Steve Kerr makes Jonathan Kuminga announcement ahead of Game 7 vs Rockets

Jan 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) dribbles up court in front of Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) in the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors had a Golden opportunity to close out the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Golden State, boasting a 3-2 lead over Houston entering Game 6, trailed for most of the contest and suffered a 115-107 loss at home. 

The Warriors' top two contributors, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, netted 29 and 27 points, respectively. However, the Rockets were the better team from start to finish, allowing them to finish the physical series in front of their home crowd on Sunday.

Ahead of the pivotal Game 7 showdown, the Warriors' head coach, Steve Kerr, made a crucial announcement about Jonathan Kuminga’s role with the franchise. 

“(Playing Kuminga) is 100% on the table,” Kerr told ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel. “We've kind of found a formula in the latter part of the season, and we've stayed with that formula to start the series. We feel like we have a great chance to go down there and win Game 7.”

Kuminga hasn’t been much of a factor for the Dubs lately. After missing an extended period with an ankle sprain, Kuminga found himself in a challenging predicament upon returning to the Warriors lineup.

Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

With Butler stealing valuable minutes from Kuminga, a 15.3 points per game regular season contributor, the fourth-year contributor has fallen out of Kerr’s rotation. 

The former lottery pick hasn’t appeared in four of the Warriors’ last seven games, potentially suggesting he and the franchise are headed toward an offseason split.

Still, suppose Kerr’s latest comments hold merit. In that case, the outstanding vertical athlete and decisive driver would be able to make at least one more impression on Golden State before free agency begins.

More importantly, Kuminga could be an X-factor for a Warriors squad that performed poorly the last time they competed against the Rockets on the road.

More NBA: LeBron James gets $52.6 million contract update after Lakers' season-ending loss