Warriors coach Steve Kerr followed through on his promise to alter the lineup before Wednesday’s game in San Antonio, unveiling a starting five that left Jonathan Kuminga on the bench, writes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Kuminga had started the first 12 games and was told two weeks ago he’d earned a permanent starting spot. But after losing five of seven and carrying a six-game road skid into Wednesday, Kerr said the team needed a spark.
“It’s very clear that we’ve been a little clunky recently,” the coach said. “I look at all the lineup data … There’s times in the season where it’s obvious you’ve got to make some changes.”
Kerr inserted rookie Will Richard in Kuminga’s place, going small with a lineup of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Richard. Richard, making just his second career start, had been averaging 10 points on 58.6% shooting.
The shift came a day after Draymond Green spoke about “personal agendas,” comments many interpreted as a veiled reference to Kuminga following his offseason push for a larger role.
Despite that, Kuminga has performed well as a starter, averaging 14.9 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds while the team’s Kuminga-Curry lineups have posted strong net ratings.
Kerr emphasized the move wasn’t about assigning blame.
“It’s never any one individual’s fault,” he said. “It’s about how we get the best out of everyone so the collective is stronger.”
Jonathan Kuminga Removed From Warriors’ Starting Lineup https://t.co/f6BNo6qZXw pic.twitter.com/YeEsFCZ2aC
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 13, 2025
