SAN FRANCISCO – For the second consecutive season, the Warriors have a heralded lottery pick forced to become a spectator during his first NBA training camp.
This time, it’s rookie forward Jonathan Kuminga, who sustained a strained patella tendon in his right knee Wednesday night in the fourth quarter of Golden State’s 118-116 preseason win over the Nuggets at Chase Center.
Kuminga is scheduled to be re-evaluated in one week and almost certainly will miss the remainder of training camp. His availability for the Oct. 19 season opener is in jeopardy. The timing is particularly difficult.
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“It’s always disappointing when anybody gets hurt, especially a young player like Jonathan, like James (Wiseman),” coach Steve Kerr said Thursday. “Missing out on parts of training camp, or all of training camp, it’s definitely a setback.”
It was Wiseman who last year missed training camp and preseason as a rookie due to COVID-19. The 7-foot center is sidelined for the second consecutive season, this time while recovering from knee surgery.
As the Warriors practiced Thursday, Kuminga was limited to riding a stationary bicycle. Though the basketball court will be off limits for a while, he will be able to study video and remain engaged in practice activity.
“He’ll be fine, long term,” Kerr said. “We had a worse situation with James both last year and this year. Young guys need as much training camp as possible.”
Golden State Warriors
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Kuminga played sparingly (17 minutes, all in the second half) in the first two preseason games. That he never played with veterans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green indicates the Warriors are being very deliberate with the rookie, who turned 19 on Wednesday.
In other news, guard Gary Payton II, who missed all of the first two games while recovering from a hernia procedure, is able to participate in light practices and could see action next week.