I was surprised to hear Kuminga express [frustration](https://www.reddit.com/r/warriors/comments/18r2m8p/kuminga_thats_where_its_confusing_sometimes_i/) about his playing time following yesterday’s loss against the Nuggets. He had started the game and played pretty well. Then I look and see he only played 23 min. Moody only saw 3 minutes of action.
Through both of their tenures on the Warriors (now in year 3), they’ve seen inconsistent playing time. Some games they’d get extended minutes, some games they’d see only a few or DNPs. There hasn’t been much change to this pattern since their rookie years. Although both of them showed lots of promise, they saw their minutes in year 2 go to the likes of Anthony Lamb, who is no longer in the league, and Ty Jerome, who is getting DNPs on the Cavs. Some say this is because of Kerr’s hesitancy to give minutes to young players.
During last year’s playoffs, Moody played significant minutes and played extremely well. Meanwhile, Kuminga notably got benched and later demanded there be a consistent role for him on the team going forward.
This year, the emergence of rookies Podz and TJD has added another layer to the equation, creating further competition for minutes. Podz has been playing well, and a result, has seen consistent minutes and most recently became a starter. He [wrote](https://twitter.com/brandinpodziem2/status/1739087054716182921?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet) on twitter: “Started the year out of the rotation and now I’m starting for the best franchise in the NBA.” Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Kuminga or Moody. Even when they’ve played well, their minutes have continued to fluctuate. This inconsistency seems to be reaching its tipping point.
Looking ahead, the return of Draymond and GPII will further impact the playing time available for Kuminga and Moody. The team will have a decision to make. What will they do?
by screwbitfloor
36 Comments
I think they will make some trades. There is no point holding onto young talent if we don’t utilize them enough.
I’m pretty sure they will ask for a trade. They rode the bench for 2 years and in their 3rd year they still can’t get consistent playing time compared to the rookies (although deserved). It must be disheartening seeing your next contract’s value just continually dropping.
I’m not opposed to trading away Moody to a team that will give him minutes. I’m really not sure what is with Steve and putting Kuminga in the doghouse but the recent quotes should easily prompt the FO, coaching staff and Kuminga to have a discussion regarding his playing time and future. If Steve still won’t play him, trade him. It’s that simple.
This is why we need a consolidation trade. Kerr already has too many guys who need minutes and that’s without Draymond and GP2. This team is begging for a 3 for 1.
Kerr needs to implement and stay with a straight up meritocracy.
Play the guys who are playing well. Show patience to the ones who are not. That’s it.
kerr has done a shit job at integrating these 3rd year guys into the rotation for meaningful minutes. if i’m moody/kuminga, i’m absolutely frustrated and confused. OP nailed it on the head. why tf are 2 way guys last year getting more minutes than them? podz and TJD are now getting more minutes than them. draymond and GP2 aren’t even playing and they find it hard to get long minutes on the floor. kerr is pushing our 3rd years away, and if i were them i’d be hopeful in finding a new home where they can develop their careers a bit more.
I think another thing to factor into the frustration is what other players are doing (or not doing). Klay for example can take bad shots, make mistakes and fall asleep on defense, but he’ll start and be in the closing line-up 99% of the time. Looney is getting killed by TJD, but still keeps his spot. Dray can’t even play games, but he’ll most likely get his spot back.
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The young guys can play extremely well, but will still lose minutes to vets playing poorly. They’re young, so it messes with their head and their confidence. I think this was also part of Poole’s frustrations last year.
I would rather not see Moody get traded but at this point I feel like he needs to be somewhere else to actually get the minutes he should be getting. Honestly Klay should probably be traded, but he likely has low value and even writing “Klay should be traded” feels bad. Part of me just says the Warriors should trade Moody, and Kuminga and do whatever it takes to have Curry/Klay/Dray retire with the team. However that objectively isn’t the best basketball decision. I have no idea what the Warriors should do.
I feel like Moody’s definitely a trade candidate. He doesn’t get consistent playing time and is behind a plethora of other guards/forwards.
33 seconds left in the 2nd quarter (10 on the shot clock).
Side court in bounds.
With no defensive pressure being applied, Klay takes the inbounds pass and immediately travels.
When Klay is playing no defense, pouting, chucking bs shots, AND traveling for no reason, the decisions about who plays in the 2nd half should have been made.
Those decisions should have included Klay getting some LOAD MANAGEMENT.
Kuminga may be gone soon. His corner guys released right after the Lakers series that if he didn’t have a carved out role every night this year that he would request a trade. Can’t blame him and it’s honestly BS. He’s earned minutes and has been an overall positive asset on the court this year. If we end up moving him he’ll join Wiseman as a “what could have been if not for Kerr” player. (Clearly Wiseman being cheeks isn’t completely on Kerr)
cant teach a old dog new tricks
Fish or cut bait with Moody and JK. They’ve patiently deferred to Klay, Draymond, and Wiggins as long as they can be expected to.
Moody / Kuminga: Fuck that! Podziemski you’re taking everything I worked for, I want your fucking ass! – Nate Diaz
Wasn’t this the whole point of the Poole/Green situation? Draymond ultimately punched Poole because Poole was getting a contract first and seemed like the team was behind Poole more than Draymond?
JK’s been playing alot better but he has not earned starting/finishing/30+ min every night, I’m sorry. He’s just not there yet. He keeps playing like this and he will fully arrive sooner rather than later.
His comment is odd cause I don’t think he says it if we win that game (which I don’t really think him playing more would have helped, Jokic was gonna live at the line with that whistle regardless). At the same time, I don’t mind him speaking up and lighting a fire under coaching and management’s ass.
As for Moody, the emergence of Podz has eaten into Moses’ predicted role way more than Kuminga’s, and that’s kinda what we’re seeing play out.
Need to package dray, kuminga and moody for Siakim
Kerr’s philosophy is to ride with the core and everyone else is a complementary piece, which means he prioritizes stable, high floor players and not necessarily ones who are trying to reach their ceilings. Kuminga falls into the second camp of players (though he’s actually been good this year) so I can at least sorta see why he doesn’t get playing time but man, Moody might be feeling even more confused. Coming out of the draft, he was exactly that kind of “safe” pick to balance out JK. With the article that just came out it seems like a trade is inevitable.
It’s a double edged sword. On the dubs you get little minutes but you’re well known, able to get a 2-15 million dollar a year contract, and don’t necessarily maximize your market but it’s relatively safe.
You can leave, try to show you’re a top dog in the league and earn a huge contract or you actually look piss poor in a different team/system and are out of the league shortly there after. Wiseman, while doing okay the last few games was clearly heading to China.
Jamychal Green is out. Anthony Lamb is almost out.
Previous season Chris Chiozza is out. Juan T is out. Nemanja is out/retired etc
Biggest name to bet on himself and fail miserably in the last few years is Patrick mccaw.
I think Kuminga needs to chill
Kuminga has a point. He should have had 10 of Klay’s minutes. Klay had an off night, go with the hot hand
We’ll prob slide down in the standings … again.
Vets got us into this hole. Rooks and young fellas got us that nice win streak to be at .500
Kerr will forget all about that. Then baby his vets with “their minutes” leading to more losing.
The young guys will prob get discouraged and stop trying as hard.
I think the team will prob trade them away. JK and Moody are prob on their way out. I hate to say it.
As I’d rather see big contracts get moved.
If the team does move off the younger pieces. It’ll make it way harder for me to watch them play. As much as I love the vets, they haven’t been playing a t an elite level for awhile
Kuminga has more to offer than Siakem. Now and especially in five years. But he’s going to get traded and the organization’s gonna look like the post-Duncan Spurs when Curry retires.
Solution to the not enough minutes problem- make sure we play more OT and double OT games ! /s…
Kuminga has started more games than Podz. Kuminga has played the 6th most minutes.
Kuminga has the 2nd highest usage percentage.
Y’all are trippin. This fucking sub.
The things is there is just so few minutes for everyone.
I forsee a trade for Moses and Jonathan.
It’s year 3 and they still can’t find minutes.
Future starting lineup of Podz, Moody, Kuminga, and TJD is in jeopardy. Anyone else get the feeling that Kerr won’t be back?
Dude if this is true he has some crazy expectations that are completely unrealistic on any NBA team let alone one that the core group has won 4 championships, has 3 legit HOF and one dude who is in the conversation for GOAT (Top 10-12 not THE Goat).
Poole was the first and worst case, now Kuminga???
What is it that Kuminga lacks that cause his play time to drop?
Given kerr’s love for vets, if he was the coach during the David Lee and draymond era he would’ve put Lee right back in as a starter.
They need to take away the personnel & rotational decisions from Kerr. Period.
He’s not reasonable or at all smart when it comes to these things. I’d say fire him if that’s not an option. He’s fucking practically braindead when it comes to this stuff and it’s starting to look weird that he’s so eager to give minutes to the white rookie only.
Come home, KD
I wouldn’t be shocked to see Green going to LA
OP needs to switch up the weed and hide the passwords from himself.
I expect multiple guys to get traded, if not for another impact big, for picks/$. The team has no future without another player over 6’10” long-term imo. I believe in TJD, but current top 5 teams don’t just have one center, but multiple centers over 6’11”.
I love kuminga, but it’s on him to earn those consistent minutes, and the formula is simple
1. Don’t lose rotations on D
2. Crash the glass
3. Be aggressive