Few role players in the NBA generate the type of attention Jonathan Kuminga does, and the Golden State Warriors forward was back under the spotlight Sunday when he didn’t play in a 123-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Head coach Steve Kerr said “all that stuff is private” when asked how Kuminga handled being told he was out of the rotation while also explaining that some of the other players complemented Jimmy Butler better since they don’t play the same position.

He also highlighted Gui Santos’ contributions, adding that being out of the rotation at times “happens to everybody, pretty much, other than the stars.”

Kuminga discussed the situation with reporters:

Butler missed the last two games but returned to face his former team and finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Santos played 20 minutes off the bench and added six points, seven rebounds and two assists.

It was a dominant victory for the Warriors, and there was no need for Kerr to make any changes to his plans as the game progressed.

For Kuminga, it was a continuation of a decrease in consistent playing time as the season continues. He played more than 30 minutes in six of his first nine games but hasn’t reached the 30-point mark since. 

In fact, he didn’t reach the 25-minute mark in any of his previous seven contests prior to not even seeing the court Sunday.

Kuminga saw his role in the rotation vary last season before he dropped out entirely for some of the postseason. While he flashes his overall potential a number of times, consistency has also been an issue throughout his career.

And then there was the extended contract stalemate during the offseason that finally ended when he reached a deal with the Warriors. That contract has a club option for the 2026-27 campaign, which doesn’t exactly suggest he will be a long-term building block for the franchise.

It would be anything but surprising if the Warriors ended up trading him given the length of the contract and his inconsistent role. For now, though, he is seeing less playing time in Kerr’s rotation.