DeMarcus Cousins points finger at Warriors management over Jonathan Kuminga’s departure

Despite no official confirmation yet on where Jonathan Kuminga will land, whether in the NBA or elsewhere, it’s clear that the way the Golden State Warriors managed his development left a lot to be desired. After four years with the team, reports indicate that Kuminga has already reached an agreement with the front office to part ways this offseason, and DeMarcus Cousins weighed in about it.

With a meeting reportedly set between Kuminga and the Warriors in the coming weeks, former Golden State player DeMarcus Cousins didn’t hold back when addressing who he believes is responsible for the situation. While Kuminga didn’t always get consistent minutes, his impact when on the floor was significant. And from what I saw, the fan base expected nothing less than to see him play regularly.

As a young player, Kuminga brought energy and production almost every time he came off the bench. That’s why Cousins pointed directly at head coach Steve Kerr as the main reason behind Kuminga’s likely departure. “I think they lost [Kuminga]. I think Steve Kerr ruined that relationship with the DNPs,” Cousins said.

“We’ve seen this happen time and time again when it comes to him and dealing with young talent,” Cousins added. “He doesn’t develop young talent. Out of the years he’s been there, we’ve seen one guy develop under Steve Kerr, and they ran him off as well—and that was Jordan Poole. So when it comes to young talent, I just don’t think they handle it well.”

DeMarcus Cousins #4 of Denver Nuggets.

Kerr’s decision to sideline Kuminga

Throughout the regular season, fans were eager to see Kuminga get more playing time across various stretches. While it’s true that injuries played a role in limiting his availability at times, there were also long stretches when the Warriors struggled—and Kuminga could have helped shift momentum.

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Instead, Kerr leaned heavily on rookie Brandin Podziemski, who earned a starting role and frequently delivered. Still, Kuminga had standout performances during key moments of the regular season, showing that he was more than capable of contributing at a high level.

Kerr repeatedly told the media that Kuminga needed more time to develop, emphasizing his youth. But from my perspective, Kuminga’s play on the court told a different story, one that showed he was ready for a bigger role, despite the occasional setback.

Cousins’s take on other NBA decisions

In addition to his comments about Kerr and Kuminga, Cousins also weighed in on Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who came under fire from fans after rumors linked him to trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers. Now, though, Harrison has reason to smile, not because of any departure, but because Dallas landed the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.

And Cousins didn’t hold back when giving his take on what Harrison should do with that pick. To him, there’s one bold move that could keep the Mavericks in title contention. “If Nico Harrison actually wants to keep a 3-year championship window open in Dallas,” Cousins said, “he’ll trade the rights to Cooper Flagg for Kevin Durant.”