When the Golden State Warriors selected Jonathan Kuminga at No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, a bright future seemed to be inevitable. Golden State had brought in three lottery picks in a span of 12 months, and Kuminga looked the part of the scorer who could simplify the game for the veterans.
Unfortunately, the Warriors prioritized immediate value above all else and ultimately created unnecessary hurdles for Kuminga to leap over during his developmental process.
It's difficult to be too angry with the Warriors, as their logic was admittedly sound. They won three championships between 2015 and 2018, won a fourth title in 2022, and advanced past the first round of the playoffs in 2022-23 and 2024-25.