Kerr, Warriors give Kuminga ‘green light’ to shoot three-pointers

Kerr, Warriors give Kuminga ‘green light’ to shoot 3-pointers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – As the fruits of Jonathan Kuminga’s summer of development become apparent, the 22-year-old forward has earned a reward from Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Kuminga now has the “green light” for his three-point shot.

“That’s what I told him,” Kerr said after practice Thursday. “We want that shot. We want him, when he’s open, to let it fly.

This comes after three seasons in which Kuminga’s offensive game was primarily defined by using his elite athleticism to drive to the rim, both in half-court sets and in transition. He led Golden State in dunks with 138, but shot just 32.1 percent from beyond the arc.

When Kerr and Kuminga met late last season, the offseason directive was clear: Work on the 3-ball, tighten it, speed it up, get a natural feel for it and shoot it with confidence.

Or, as Kuminga described last week: “Being a full-fledged, complete player.”

He seems to get there after three years of countless lessons, countless hours of work, sheer determination – and a little bit of friction between player and coach.

Kerr has made it clear he wants the Warriors to play fast. Run at every opportunity. Shoot quickly or pass the ball to a teammate. The goal is to wear down the defense looking for an open shot. And to launch that open look without hesitation.

“The game must go on,” Kerr said. “The biggest problem we can run into is if we have an open opportunity and don’t take it. In the NBA, the window is closing quickly. And then the shot clock starts to count down. Then you jeopardize your transition defense because you have to make a bad shot.

“So. We really emphasize to JK – to all our guys really – if you’re open, let it fly. And as we continue to build more continuity with our stuff that we run, I think we’ll get better at that.

Kuminga made seven three-pointers in Golden State’s win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. He made four. Although he has made four triples several times in regular season games, Kuminga has attempted seven or more only twice, both times in lopsided losses.

All of Golden State’s decision makers want Kuminga to be the starting small forward. Someone who is able to effectively defend multiple positions on one side and punish defenses on the other with scores at three levels: on the edge, in mid-range and from deep.

If Kuminga can complete that mission, Kerr would be given several options for lineups and rotations.

It would impact the distribution of Draymond Green’s minutes between power forward and center. It would give Kerr an opening to experiment with Andrew Wiggins at shooting guard, essentially replacing Klay Thompson. It would open up the minutes for Trayce Jackson-Davis at center.

Additionally, should Kuminga blossom at small forward, it would provide the Warriors with the information they need to decide if he can be a future cornerstone of the franchise.

Kerr is working with a small sample size, but the trend is going in the desired direction.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast