Kuminga's NBA growth points to rookie playing role in title hunt

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Jordan Poole knows how tough the transition to the NBA can be. The Warriors guard spent a fair amount of time in the G League before breaking through and becoming a key rotation piece in Golden State.

So Poole knows how impressive it is that rookie Jonathan Kuminga is giving the Warriors good, productive minutes almost every time he steps on the floor.

“It’s just good to see him out there competing, playing hard, seeing him on the court, showing his ability, playing with a lot of confidence,” Poole told reporters on Tuesday after the Warriors' 130-92 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center.

“We know he’s extremely athletic. But getting him to make the right plays, take the right shots, get shots for him because we have so many threats out there, we’ll be able to get him some easy looks, just continuing to learn and play his game. I’m just happy that he’s out there getting game experience.”

Kuminga's "organic" growth was on display against the Mavericks, as the No. 7 overall pick scored a team-high 22 points in 18 minutes off the bench while going 8-for-9 from the field and 4-for-4 from 3-point range.

Nights like Tuesday are leaving an impression on everyone within the Warriors' organization, from Poole to Klay Thompson to coach Steve Kerr.

“You saw what Jonathan is capable of,” Thompson said. “His jump shot looked great. It’s very fluid. Obviously, his ability to play above the rim is something that you can’t really teach."

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Kuminga's performance Tuesday night included a transition dunk that made Chase Center shake.

When the Warriors are sharing the ball the way they did against Dallas (31 assists), that's where Kuminga's skillset can shine.

"Because the floor was spaced and we had a good flow to our game, Jonathan was able to use his athleticism and his speed and free himself up," Kerr said. "You can see just how powerful he is as an athlete, how explosive and it's fun to see that connection happen.

"That transition dunk was just spectacular."

The Warriors didn't expect to get much from Kuminga in Year 1. But the rookie is growing at an exceptionally fast rate.

Progress is never linear, but Kuminga is making the most of every opportunity. His impressive cameos are going to transform into consistent minutes at this rate. And it's clear that the rookie will have a role to play in the title chase to come.

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