Draymond Green's eye-opening claim on what's best for Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will have some tough rotation decisions to sort through during training camp. Only Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are the nailed-on starters, with, perhaps, Brandin Podziemski also being favored to start alongside Curry in the backcourt. Training camp could very well decide which players Kerr decides to start to begin the 2024-25 season.

Will the Warriors end up starting Green at the five again to accommodate for Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga? Or will Kerr decide to start a more traditional big man at center in Trayce Jackson-Davis or Kevon Looney? Now, it’s not quite clear yet which route the Dubs will end up taking. But for Green, his preference is for Kuminga to line up at the three, which could suggest that one of Wiggins or Kuminga might be headed for a bench role.

“I think [Kuminga is] a three. That's always been my opinion. To play the four, it requires a certain skill set. A certain knowledge and a certain understanding of that position to do that,” Green told reporters during training camp, via 95.7 The Game.

Draymond on Kuminga: "I think he's a three. That's always been my opinion. To play the four, it requires a certain skill set. A certain knowledge and a certain understanding of that position to do that." pic.twitter.com/mCO7xg6ERD

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 3, 2024

Green blossomed into one of the best two-way players and one of the most important pieces of the Warriors dynasty when Kerr started him at the four amid an injury to David Lee during the 2014-15 season. He certainly has the credibility when it comes to knowing what it takes to be a successful power forward in the NBA.

Being a four requires impeccable help defense instincts and rebounding stability, as well as the versatility to defend in multiple ways, be it in isolation, in blitzes, or even in drop coverage. Green has excelled in that regard for the Warriors for so long, and he has worked with Kuminga up close for three seasons now, so he, of all people, would know that the 21-year-old forward’s skillset makes him better suited to be a small forward.

Kuminga averaged 16.1 points per game last season on 52 percent shooting from the field. He can get the Warriors buckets, and it will be tough for the team to bring him off the bench next season. He did kick up a bit of a fuss last season regarding his role. But someone may have to make sacrifices next season for this team to work.

Will the Warriors go small again to start next season?

The most obvious course of action for the Warriors is to start Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins together with Draymond Green once again being a small-ball five. A lack of size on the interior has come back to haunt the Dubs more often than not over the past two seasons, but it might be the best compromise to keep everyone happy.

Kuminga, however, is not a particularly good rebounder. Wiggins’ motor comes and goes. The Warriors are once again likely to face a rebounding deficit night after night. It might only be a matter of time before Kerr feels the need to start Trayce Jackson-Davis to inject some athleticism and rim protection into a small Warriors frontcourt.

Regardless, the Warriors’ main strength lies in the power of their backcourt as well as their versatility on the wing. They can mix and match the rotation depending on matchups, and they have assembled some solid depth to supplement Kerr’s brand of coaching.

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