Cole talks about Kuminga! It is still difficult to have the ball as the core!

The "contract extension farce" between Kuminga and the Warriors finally ended with him accepting the contract and staying with the team. Head coach Steve Kerr recently publicly stated when talking about Kuminga that "the team cannot provide him with the ball rights and opportunities he wants."

Kuminga, as the No. 7 pick in the first round in 2021, joined the Warriors last season and averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and steals per game in the regular season. 0.8 times, 0.5 blocks, 45.4% field goal percentage, two double-doubles, 66.8% free throw percentage, 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and steals per game in the playoffs He blocked 0.5 shots, shot 48.4%, averaged 1.3 three-pointers per game, and shot 40% from the outside. During the offseason, he faced Kuminga who was in a contract year. He had a "game" with the team. In the end, he accepted a 1+1 contract and renewed it for "amount of US$48.5 million." The second year is a team option, which means that in Kuminga's subsequent transaction process , the Warriors took the initiative. It can be said that in this contract renewal negotiation process, although there were many teams and paid a certain "salary", in the end it was still the "winner". Both parties completed the contract extension. It can be said that there was "harmony on the surface" and both had their own "calculations" in their hearts. There is also the possibility of Kuminga being traded. The Warriors insisted on the team option in order to get better players and protect more interests.

In the preseason, the Warriors played against the Lakers in the first game. Kuminga's performance was quite satisfactory, scoring 5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. In the second game against the Trail Blazers, he scored 51 points in the last quarter of the offensive climax, reversing and winning the game. However, all of this had almost nothing to do with Kuminga. He played 18 points in the whole game. Zhong, made 1 of 5 shots, only scored 3 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 25% shooting rate from outside, unable to withstand the defense, unable to control the rhythm, key offensive "mistakes ended", the performance of the game was two words "hip stretch", the plus-minus value was -17, the lowest in the team, no wonder the team remained cautious when "operating" his contract extension.

He did not perform well in the two pre-season games, and his state also had ups and downs last season. Recently, head coach Cole has made a new statement about Kuminga. He believes that Kuminga has made it clear that he wants the ball and opportunities, just like many of his peers. And guys drafted around him get that, and we can't afford that opportunity. We're a championship team, we won a championship his rookie year and have been in contention the past few years, so it's hard to give Kuminga that kind of ball and status.

Cole expressed respect for Kuminga and the fact that he could compete and struggle in less than ideal circumstances, and I've always told him that with his size, speed and athleticism, he could play an important role on a very good team. He has just turned 23, and he still has a long way to go in basketball. I hope one day he will look back on this period and regard it as a valuable period in his career. But I also know that he is frustrated, but Cole doesn't mind, and I hope Kuminga can accept his ideas.

Cole's statement can be said to have defined Kuminga's "tactical status". It is still difficult to control the ball as the core. The two sides have returned to the "center point of conflict". Apart from getting a "paper renewal contract", nothing has been resolved. The pressure on Kuminga in the new season is still not small. The Warriors lineup adjustment "tactical status may further decline", and they do not have the initiative in the player transaction process. How to make trade-offs is really difficult...