What can we expect from Kuminga as he nears a return?

The Golden State Warriors announced Saturday that seventh overall pick, Jonathan Kuminga has been cleared to fully participate in practice. This is a good sign, as Kuminga has been out since the second preseason game with a strained patella tendon in his right knee. The Warriors know not to rush injured players back though, as eager fans still await the return of Klay Thompson and James Wiseman, both of which suffered prior knee injuries.

That is why the team said that they expect Kuminga to be back no earlier than October 30th versus the Oklahoma City Thunder just to be safe. While the Warriors won’t look to heavily rely on the 19-year-old rookie, it would be great for him to be available in games like against the Thunder, where he could gain some in-game experience to get his rhythm back.

It will also be helpful for him in terms of development, whether that be in-game, in the G-League, or just in practice with the veterans. In just his first two appearances in the preseason, he logged eight points, four rebounds, and one assist in 17 minutes of action before his injury.

The key for him is to just stay healthy, if he can do that and keep all the explosiveness that we saw during the summer league and preseason, then he has real potential to be great. Standing at 6-foot-8 inches tall with a wingspan of 6-foot-11 inches, the Warriors could use his defensive versatility, especially with the recent injury of forward Andre Iguodala. Although Iguodala’s injury is considered day-to-day, the team could use a guy like him, as they are lacking depth at the forward spot defensively.

Key additions this offseason did include forwards Otto Porter Jr and Nemanja Bjelica, but their focus is more on offense than it is on defense. This is where Kuminga could come in handy, as he said that his idol growing up was Kobe Bryant, so he loves taking the challenge defensively. It may take time for him to see minutes on the court though, as fellow rookie Moses Moody has only seen 9-minutes in the first two games of the season.

So, fans should expect his comeback to be a quiet one, with most work being done behind the scenes. Unless we hear otherwise from coach Steve Kerr, or a rotation spot opens up because of injury. It will be interesting to see what the coaching staff does with the young rookie, as they might want to insert him into a small ball lineup consisting of Curry, Poole, Wiggins, Draymond, and himself. But that doesn’t seem to be the case though, as Kevon Looney has been a stable centerpiece so far. More than likely, his minutes will come behind Wiggins or Iguodala, both of which have established roles on the team.

Looking forward to the next few seasons could be a different story, as playing with guys like Draymond, Iguodala, and Wiggins should have nothing but a positive impact on Kuminga’s career. Mix that in with a good coaching staff and what hopes to be a deep playoff run this year, and he is in a pretty great position in comparison to most rookies.

Not to mention that he has two of the greatest shooters of all time on his team to work with, so if his jumper is the issue, he can clean up his mechanics and become an improved shooter in no time. It is key to mention that his game doesn’t only rely on shooting, as he can get to the rack with ease and draw fouls, as seen in the Summer League and preseason. For now, all the Warriors want him to do is stay his course, come back healthy and be ready to go whenever need be.

(Photo credit: Abbie Parr/Getty Images)