Inside the Controversy: Why Some Warriors Coaches Opposed Drafting Jonathan Kuminga in 2021
When it comes to drafting decisions that spark debate, few stories captivate quite like the Jonathan Kuminga saga unfolding with the Golden State Warriors. It turns out, not everyone under the Warriors’ roof was on the same page when the organization decided to pull the trigger on Kuminga with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Believe it or not, whispers from some coaching staff members tell a different tale – one where Franz Wagner, now a key figure for the Orlando Magic, was the preferred choice. But here’s the kicker: Joe Lacob, the Warriors’ owner, was the undeniable driving force behind sticking with Kuminga, showing unwavering faith in the young Congolese forward’s potential from day one. The story gets even juicier when you look at how these two players, picked just one spot apart, have carved such contrasting paths in their NBA journeys. Curious about what’s really going on behind the scenes? LEARN MORE
As the Jonathan Kuminga free-agency saga continues with the Warriors, it was revealed that some within the organization reportedly would have preferred to select a different player with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
“A few” members of the Warriors’ coaching staff voiced a preference to draft eventual Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner instead of Kuminga, but Golden State owner Joe Lacob was the “driving force” behind selecting the Congolese forward, ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania reported, citing sources, in a piece published Monday. Wagner was drafted one pick later by Orlando with the No. 8 selection.
“Lacob has remained a staunch Kuminga supporter and vocal believer in his long-term future,” Slater and Charania wrote. “He voiced an unwillingness to include Kuminga in a proposed trade from Chicago for Alex Caruso a couple of seasons back, sources said, and was still glowing about Kuminga’s performance in May after he rose from out of Steve Kerr’s first-round rotation to the team’s leading scorer in the second-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.”
Despite being drafted back-to-back, the two forwards have had vastly different experiences in their four years of NBA service.
In four seasons with the Magic, Wagner has played 291 games and was in the Orlando starting five for each game he played. In contrast, Kuminga has played 258 regular-season games with the Warriors and has started in just 84.
Wagner signed a five-year, $224 million contract with Orlando prior to the 2024-25 NBA season. Golden State has reportedly offered Kuminga a three-year, $75.2 million contract.
Kuminga’s usage has fluctuated throughout his four-year career with the Warriors. In the 2023-24 season, he logged a career-high 26.3 minutes per game and played in 74 of the 82 regular-season games. That number saw a downtick to 24.3 minutes per game last season, as he battled injuries and rotation changes while appearing in just 47 games, a career low.
The 22-year-old restricted free agent’s playing time under coach Steve Kerr took its biggest hit after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat at the NBA trade deadline in February.
Kuminga played in just three of the seven games in the first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets. That changed in the next series, as he broke out in the Western Conference semifinals against the Timberwolves in large part due to the hamstring injury to superstar Stephen Curry in Game 1 at Minnesota.
In Curry’s absence, Kuminga was the Warriors’ leading scorer in the series, averaging 20.8 points per game.
An obstacle to the re-signing of Jonathan Kuminga for the Warriors is the question of a substantial role for the forward, a key concern for Kuminga and his camp in free agency according to Slater and Charania.
On the other hand, there has been no question about Wagner’s role with the Magic. Last season, the forward averaged 24.2 points per game, the second-most for the Magic behind NBA All-Star forward Paolo Banchero.
Unlike Kuminga, Wagner did not face much competition for rotation minutes early in his career. In their rookie seasons, Orlando finished with a 22-60 record, the second-worst in the NBA in the 2021-22 season. In contrast, the Warriors went on to win the NBA Finals in that season, a much harder team to play vital rotation minutes for as a rookie.
Although there was little difference in their draft position, there is a large gulf between Kuminga and Wagner in terms of contract size and team role in their young careers.
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