The Golden State Warriors took their 2-1 preseason record on the road for a Tuesday night contest against the Portland Trail Blazers, facing off against a team that they completed a 21-point comeback against in a prior preseason matchup. With Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green sidelined, the pressure was put on Steph Curry to lead this team to a win.
Heading into halftime, Golden State trailed Portland 61-56, with Portland controlling the glass despite a poor outside shooting performance. However, the main storyline was around Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who received an ejection from an official after an altercation stemming from a no-call.
Jonathan Kuminga has been ejected for apparently making contact with the official after not getting a foul call 😳
(h/t @Sudharsan_ak)pic.twitter.com/uZ1IRfFsPF
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 15, 2025
As shared on the broadcast, Kuminga felt as though he was fouled on a drive attempt against a trio of Portland defenders, leading him to confront the official after the play. It was not shown on the broadcast, but the broadcasters did say that Kuminga made contact with the official, which might’ve been the final straw leading to the Warriors’ forward’s ejection.
Kuminga exited the game after playing 18 minutes and recording seven points, six rebounds, and four steals. While Steph Curry was able to earn some free throw attempts and foul calls in the first half, that wasn’t the case for Kuminga.
This is exactly what Warriors fans want to see from Jonathan Kuminga. He takes Deni Avdija in the post, the Blazers defenders stay home but he waits patiently until Will Richard catches Shadeon Sharpe napping and finds him on the cut.pic.twitter.com/8oHV4iyMo9
— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) October 15, 2025
While fans were only able to see 18 minutes from Kuminga on Tuesday night, and in a different circumstance with Butler and Green sidelined, his focus on scoring inside and being a contributor as a rebounder is exactly what Golden State needs. The foul calls should come with time, but that will only be true if he continues to be aggressive as a slasher.
Kuminga’s summer was headlined by his contract negotiations with the Warriors, distracting many from what his role is on the team going forward upon his return. While Golden State would probably prefer that Kuminga bring value as a floor spacer, Steve Kerr and the rest of the staff have to find ways to put his high-end athleticism and other skills to use instead.
Stephen Curry serves a fine dime to Jonathan Kuminga 😲 pic.twitter.com/ImdZz4w7JU
— NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) October 15, 2025
Looking ahead to the immediate future and not the potential trade that could happen before the 2026 deadline, Kuminga needs to be a player Golden State can rely on to run the floor, play quality defense, attack the glass, and finish at the rim. The amount of touches he gets offensively will likely fluctuate depending on the matchup, especially with how his three-point shot progresses over the season.
However, if Golden State can get the first-half version of Kuminga from Tuesday’s game against the Trail Blazers, they should feel confident in trusting the young forward as a key member of the rotation going forward.
