https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/Jonathan-Kuminga-flashes-potential-in-Warriors-16713137.php

TORONTO — Early in the Warriors’ 119-100 loss to the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night, rookie forward Jonathan Kuminga took two dribbles into the key and, with three defenders in front of him, leaped toward the rim.

Toronto’s Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby quickly gave up on the play.. But their teammate, forward Chris Boucher, was still intent on blocking Kuminga’s shot. The outstretched arm of the 6-foot-9 Boucher hardly deterred Kuminga, who glided in for the two-handed dunk as the Warriors’ reserves celebrated on the bench nearby.

This nine-second sequence, which came shortly before the Raptors cruised to a huge lead they wouldn’t surrender, offered an important reminder: Though Golden State’s near future is in good shape with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and — soon enough — Klay Thompson, it might have a long-term face of the franchise in Kuminga.

That’s why Warriors head coach Steve Kerr won’t lose sleep over the fact that this undermanned group capped its five-city Eastern Conference swing with a 19-point loss to a sub-.500 team. When he decided to send Curry, Wiggins, Green and Otto Porter Jr. back to the Bay Area after Friday’s win in Boston, Kerr knew Golden State could be bound for its sixth loss of the season.

What Kerr wanted to see Saturday was that his youngsters, many of whom have had a tough time cracking the rotation, could make the most of some extended playing time. And Kuminga did just that, delivering a slew of highlights on his way to a career-high 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting (4-for-6 from 3-point range) in 36 minutes.

The last Warriors rookie to score at least 25 points in his first career start was Chris Wright on April 26, 2012. Though Kuminga appeared out of control at times and committed six turnovers, the 19-year-old flashed the combination of size, speed and athleticism that compelled the Warriors to take him with the No. 7 pick in July’s NBA draft. In addition to that two-handed dunk over Boucher less than four minutes into the game, Kuminga drained several contested 3-pointers, weaved through traffic for a fourth-quarter slam and used his 6-foot-11 wingspan to nab two steals.
Toronto’s Fred VanVleet drives past the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, who scored a career-high 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting.

Toronto’s Fred VanVleet drives past the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, who scored a career-high 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting.
Photos by Chris Young/Associated Press

“I could see him being an elite two-way player,” said guard Gary Payton II, who finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. “It’s just going to take time. He’s super young.”

It might not matter that Kuminga’s one-man show came in a blowout loss. With an NBA title to reach for, the Warriors haven’t had the luxury of giving all their young players significant minutes. Saturday provided Kuminga, Moses Moody (11 points, eight rebounds) and others much-needed lessons.

Even though the Warriors lost their grip — at least temporarily — on the Western Conference’s top spot to Phoenix, Kerr can take solace knowing that his rookies will be better served for the big minutes. Kuminga and Moses have bounced between the NBA and the G League in recent weeks, steadily emerging as dominant forces at the lower level.

But as Saturday showed, they can be helpful players for the big club — if not this season, then at least within the next year or two.

“I feel like I’m in a great situation,” Kuminga said. “I’m learning every single day.”

Further easing the sting of Saturday’s lopsided loss is that Curry, Green and Wiggins got to relax a bit.

Though Curry was resting, Wiggins, Iguodala, Green and Porter were taking a couple of days to nurse minor injuries. By flying back home Friday, they also didn’t need to deal with the logistical challenges of getting into and out of Canada during a pandemic.

With the number of coronavirus cases spiking in Ontario, the Raptors limited Scotiabank Arena to half capacity Saturday. Now, as the Warriors head back to the Bay Area for a two-game homestand, they can only hope that they won’t lose any more players to the league’s health and safety protocols.

Guard Jordan Poole was placed on the protocols list Friday, and he is just one of six dozen players put there this month. But in the immediate aftermath of the Warriors’ first double-digit loss of the season Saturday, the Warriors preferred to think about Kuminga’s promising future, not the threat of the omicron variant.

“JK’s a dynamic athlete,” Kerr said. “He’s powerful. He’s explosive. He can get downhill. You see the potential.”