Jonathan Kuminga makes a blunt statement about Steve Kerr bending him

The Golden State Warriors had to make a change in the starting lineup Tuesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans due to the injury absence of Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins.

After starting Curry and Wiggins along with Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis to begin the season, it seemed fair to assume that Steve Kerr would find just two new starters for this game. Inserting three new starters, Kerr went with Moses Moody, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski alongside Green and Jackson-Davis, sending Jonathan Kuminga to the bench.

Via Shams Charania of ESPN: “The Warriors are moving F Jonathan Kuminga to the bench tonight vs. the Pelicans, sources tell me and @kendra__andrews. Exciting development in a fourth season where no extension was complete for either side, and the team has discussed set him up to take the next step.”

Set to enter restricted free agency this offseason, Kuminga had a direct statement on his bench via Danny Emerman of the Bay Area News Group.

“It’s not my decision,” Kuminga said. “This is my 4th year. Not the first time this sort of thing happened.”

“It’s his decision,” added Kuminga on Kerr, via Emerman. “I’m not the coach. If Steve’s made his decision, he’s made his decision. I’m not the coach.”

Per Emerman, Kuminga added that he is “not tripping” over being removed from the starting lineup. That said, Emerman added that the young forward’s camp is skeptical of Kerr’s commitment to making Kuminga a featured part of Golden State’s offense.

Kuminga came into this game averaging just 8.0 points through three games to begin the season, making just 33.3 percent of his field goal attempts and 11.1 percent of his three-point attempts.

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