A lot went right for the Golden State Warriors on the first night of the 2025-26 NBA season. For one thing, the Warriors went on the road and picked up a nationally televised win over the Los Angeles Lakers, controlling much of the game in impressive fashion. Golden State connected on 42.5 percent of its 3-point attempts, won the turnover battle, and held the Lakers well below their typical level of offensive efficiency, even with Luka Dončić going for 43 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.
Individually, Jimmy Butler was brilliant with 31 points (and 16-16 from the free throw line), Steph Curry was Steph Curry, and Buddy Hield added five 3-pointers off the bench. While those storylines were certainly positive for the Warriors, one could argue that the performance from 23-year-old Jonathan Kuminga was the most impactful, at least for the long term.
Kuminga finished the night with 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for the Warriors, and after making only 10 starts during the entire 2024-25 season, he was in the lineup when the opening tip occurred on Tuesday. That showing came after a well-chronicled stand-off with Golden State this summer, including Kuminga flirting with accepting the qualifying offer, plenty of trade buzz, and the final agreement on a two-year deal that most agree was almost designed to be traded.
However, Kuminga drew rave reviews after the win, and particularly when it comes to his willingness to take 3-pointers (six attempts) and buy in defensively, he may have shown the blueprint for him to stay in Golden State and contribute as more than a potential trade piece.
"I think he has really, really matured," Steve Kerr said postgame, via Anthony Slater of ESPN. "I think he has a better sense of what's needed now compared to past years. Jimmy has really helped him too. Jimmy has talked to him a lot during camp, taken him aside during practices. Remember, Jonathan just turned 23."
Jonathan Kuminga did exactly what the Warriors needed him to do
As Kerr notes, Kuminga remains quite young and, even if his playing style does not perfectly jive with Golden State's "beautiful game" aesthetic, he is clearly a talented player. Kuminga has averaged at least 15.3 points per game in each of the last two seasons and, despite some efficiency challenges, his flashes have been notable. Broadly, Kuminga provides the Warriors with shot creation that is badly needed any time Curry and/or Butler is unavailable, but he also brings a clear dynamism as an athlete that few on the Warriors roster can match.
In addition to what Kerr had to say, Kuminga received big-time praise from Draymond Green following the win. Green described a moment late in the game in which Kuminga skied for a rebound and described it as "what everyone in the world has been waiting to see" from the fifth-year forward.
"You have that athleticism, you go make big plays. You have superstar potential, you go make big plays. Those are game-winning plays," Green continued, via ESPN. When you ask for opportunity, you must deliver. He's been very vocal about his opportunity, and he delivered."
Over four seasons, there have been plenty of moments in which Kuminga has been highly impactful, including a trio of 20-plus point scoring performances against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Still, this particular effort could signal a change for Kuminga, both in his buy-in with the Warriors and also with team support of the budding standout. At the very least, Kuminga contributed at a high level to an impactful win, and each victory matters in what projects to be a highly competitive Western Conference landscape in 2025-26.