Notes on Summer Game 5 and Comments of the Week

Jonathan Freaking Kuminga, Mody Mooses, and conservation of Italian two-way PGs

Apricot's In-Game Notes from GSW-OKC

• [Westbrook as Kuminga comp] I would love to have Westbrook if he was willing to play an efficient role. Shoot a lot less, he used to be 1st team conference defense, go back to that. Be secondary-plus ballhandler. He might indeed do that in LAL…

• Chad Ford and Tony Jones praise Kuminga @ 4:56.

• Giddey is out. Tre Mann is out. Jessup, Moody and Kuminga are playing.

• Kuminga with the first pullup elbow J I remember. It almost hits a mascot in another building

• Kuminga can definitely see that baseline cutter. A nice little pass there.

• Moody with another "drive, get stopped, pick up dribble, then hard reset the whole play". Jessup with a confident no-hesitation spot up 3.

• Kyle Guy gets stopped on the drive like Moody, but he flows into a fadeaway jumper

• Kuminga gets burned on D by the same baseline cut he assisted last. JFK brute forces into the lane for a short J. Then hits an open spot up 3. Feels like JFK is emphasizing the jumper today, which could make this a long game.

• Kuminga rotates from help-side for a soaring contest, and leaves his man to calmly collect the ball and hit a layup.

• Haha, GP2 gets posted up and he hassles the big into a travel. Then draws a foul to stop a fast break. Then GP2 with a wide open 3 which he cleanly banks in. Yells "I called it". Calculated.

• Jessup looks so much more confident today.

• Moody drive gets stopped, but DOESN'T pick up dribble. Then a little toss to a cutting GP2 which almost hits him in the face. Right idea.

• Defense in a capsule. On the break, no one picks up ball, Jaquori rotates and leaves left lane runner open, no one picks them up. Mooses Mody doesn't seem to have fast twitch explosion, but he gets where he needs to. Unexpectedly quick rotation turns an open dunk into an almost vertical contest.

• Next play, Moody sneaks in to get a charge.

• What a soap opera that sequence was. Moody with a late clock PNR with Mawugbe, throws a GORGEOUS hook lob for a giant dunk -- missed. Then Mawugbe redeems self by hustling down and gets the block on the counter attack. Counter counter attack, Moody hits the transition 3.

• HEY they ran the "Klay EOQ play" in summer league. Q2.1.05, Kuminga sets decoy screen up high, Jessup curl flares to right wing for 3.

• hahaha I KNEW Kuminga was going to try something. Hoard had been going hyper-Davion on Kuminga, so JFk got him isoed at the end of the period... the crossover and the "he took off too soon, NO HE DIDN'T" finish

• Pub Sports Radio ™ @PubSportsRadio

  KUMINGA. SLAM. SHEESH.

• Goofus: Another angle of Kuminga’s monster play. It catches his own reaction 

  Golden State Warriors @warriors

  JK NO YOU DIDN’T 💪 💪 💪

• There's a whole mini-soap-opera too between GP2 and Maledon. I would not be surprised if GP2 specifically tries to dunk on him

• Haha, GP2 now picks up Maledon full court. Pettiness is an energy

• I respect the Jessup dunk attempt. A little bank shot would have been smarter, but I'm sure he heard the voices of everyone yelling at him to dunk it

• I feel like Kuminga has gotten in on the GP2-Maledon feud. GP2 signals for JFK to iso Maledon. Draws a foul. Maledon started running this little give and go on the wing to get GP2 off of him. Second time through, Maledon runs hard straight into Moody and knocks him to the ground, no call. So by my count, GP2, JFK and MM are all currently pissed at Maledon.

• That lob to Moody was a little off target. Great to see him use trigonometry to turn that into a bank shot. Calculated.

• GP2 is such a rebound hound. He actually lines up to rebound FTs

• I feel like they are intentionally having Kuminga try something different. He’s proven he can do that

• Moody got off the 60-year-old man YMCA hook shot

• In what I’ve seen, JFK did screen some in G-League, but clearly was more comfortable with the ball in his hands

• Warriors culture is alive. Kuminga with the drive and instead of trying to dunk on the defender, he kicks out to an open Moody 3, and then stands on the baseline posing holding up 3 fingers. Moody almost air balls, but it was worth

  Joe Viray @JoeVirayNBA

  Kuminga's ability to process and make reads while going 100 mph is something I personally did not expect him to have at this point but it's a welcome development. You'd think he's out of control but then he makes a pass like this to the corner while in full speed. Sheesh.

• Moody has been everywhere on defense for the last two minutes.

• Moody in the postgame interview giving praise to GP2 for his leadership

• On track to have a competition for the last spots in training camp. Lots more practice time, they can see GP2 and the rest learning the actual offense, they can see him in a lot of scrimmages.

• Felt like this game the coaches wanted JFK and MM to stretch out their games more. We know JFK can take the ball on the elbow and power drive to the hoop. I assume they encouraged him to reduce turnovers and take more jumpers. Jumper is still clanky. He was a bit more selective -- since he wasn't matched up against a rival like Barnes -- at hunting highlights. JFK and MM didn't take THAT many shots either... seemed like they wanted to let the other players audition for the scouts.

• [On the JFK nickname] Full name is Jonathan Malangu Kuminga. JFK stands for Jonathan. Freaking. Kuminga.

Dub Nation Speaks

Summer League 5. 4:00 game vs OKC with Josh …

ANOTHER Kuminga revenge game on tap

• stopnpop (6 ♡): 

  After years of seeing Steph get mugged, it will be fun to see the favor returned via Kuminga's physicality (and Wiseman's Muay Thai elbows* lol).

  Stumbled across this quote from Mullin talking about Sarunas Marciulionis that seems like it could eventually apply to JFK:

  > MULLIN: I remember playing against the Bulls one night. Sarunas was shooting a free throw, and Scottie [Pippen] and Michael [Jordan] were kind of arguing about who was going to guard him. They were like, "Man, this guy's crazy. He's gonna run me over, man. You take him." So he had developed a reputation. He was kind of like a power forward playing two-guard.

  https://www.si.com/nba/2018/01/17/nba-international-sarunas-marciulionis-soviet-union-vlade-divac-don-nelson

  * https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=wiseman+elbows

• Five Alarm Freddy (5 ♡): 

  I don't know why but hearing "Grudge-Match Kuminga" makes me irrationally happy. Channel that anger young Chew-blocka. 

Notes on Summer Games 3 & 4. And open thread

overreactors anonymous

• Goofus (19 ♡): 

  In two weeks, I’ve gone from “What are they doing taking Kuminga?!” to “They’d have been idiots to pass on Kuminga and they’d be even bigger idiots to trade him now!”

  He’s becoming by personal Chuck Norris:

  “If you think you beat JK off the dribble, it’s only because he wants you to think you beat him off the dribble.”

  “The only people Jonathan Kuminga hasn’t been able to bully are people he hasn’t played.”

  “Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t need to work on being a better shooter. Shooting is needs to work on being a better Jonathan Kuminga.”

  “I was wrong about Jonathan Kuminga have a high ceiling; he doesn’t have a ceiling.”

• sabrinasez (15 ♡): 

  Chase Center now requiring proof of vaccination for entry to events. 

chase_center

A post shared by @chase_center

• Strawman Curry (12 ♡): 

  JFK missed those putbacks because the rim flinched.

• DFiB (10 ♡): 

  Kuminga's also proven he should at least get all the minutes defending the players picked before him, lol.

• hammystyle (9 ♡): 

  If LeBron and Giannis had a baby would it be Jonathan Kuminga?

  No. Jonathan Kuminga is both of LeBron and Giannis's Dad.

• hammystyle (6 ♡): 

  Jonathan Kuminga doesn't need to contribute as a rookie. Rookies need to contribute to Jonathan Kuminga.

Summer League 4. 5:00 game v TOR with Scotti…

Kuminga revenge game on tap

• CJ (14 ♡): 

  3 of the best missed dunks i've seen. got that ja morant gene

• Peter Hood (11 ♡): 

  I don't think it matters who starts, who doesn't. What's important is the combinations we put on the floor. Steph-Moody-Wiggs-Dray-(Loon or JTA) is fine. It surrounds the rook with 4 guys who know what they are doing and will speed his development within the system. If Kuminga is logging minutes, yeah, I have Lee instead of Moody, again ensuring that the rook is surrounded on all sides by guys who know the system. Hopefully, OPJ and Belly will get acclimated quickly so you can add them to the list of guys who know what they are doing. I think what's important for the Warriors is that they start off this year the way they finished last year - playing THEIR game. So they let the rooks in one at a time to play with any experienced 4-man group. The rotations remain cohesive and the rooks learn how to play within the system. Anywho, that would be my approach. The rooks can develop without having a negative impact on each rotation, because any group of 4 experienced Warriors should be able to shepherd one rook on the floor with them. 

• Captain Jack (8 ♡): 

  Man this team is going to be fun to watch this year. For the first time we have a legit stretch big along with a bunch of solid shooting wings playing with Steph. The combination of savvy vets and young but capable talent will be very entertaining. Can't wait to watch Wiseman take a step forward and the rookies contributing here and there. I can't say in confidence #WGBC this year because of Klay's health but I can say #WGBanabsolutepainintheasstoplayintheplayoffs

Don't sleep on JaQuori McLaughlin 

The Exhibit 10 signee might be the latest UDFA to make a name for himself

• belilaugh (6 ♡): 

  Some Chiozza numbers compared to Mannion:

Adel🇾🇪 @__adel22

Just for fun, here's Nico Mannion vs Chris Chiozza in terms of finishing, playmaking and overall impact. Another slight improvement to the roster overall talent even though it's just a 2-Way.

• Captain Jack (4 ♡): 

  Did we just replace our Italian PG with another Italian PG

• Sleepy Freud (4 ♡): 

  Combine them and you get either the exotic jetsetter “Nico Chiozza” or the corn-fed American “Chris Mannion”…

• Richard (4 ♡): 

  Agreed, good stuff. I hope he and Guy can stick on our G League team to give them a season to develop while Jessup and Mannion in other leagues. I wonder if this is standard operating procedure for teams - to maintain player rights while developing them overseas?

• Perks (GSWReddit) (3 ♡): 

  The Warriors haven't really taken advantage of it recently, but it's definitely common in the NBA. Although in Mannion's case it's a bit of a delayed Nando De Colo style of draft-and-stash. 

Summer League 3. 5:00 game vs ORL with Franz…

Wagner fans can pine for what we're missing

• Alex (8 ♡): 

  Jalen Suggs -18

  Kuminga +15

  Moody +19

  "Suggs looks so impressive"

• UneasySquirrel (7 ♡): 

  One thing that just occurred to me, Kuminga has taken virtually no midrange shots. Part of his efficiency issues in the G League were because he took those too often. I'm fine with him taking as many threes as he wants in Summer League, especially since he seems to have improved his feel around the rim already in the time between the G League and Summer League. It's nice that he's cut the midrange stuff out and is usually trying to get to the rim or drive and kick instead.

• Swaggy P. Jung (7 ♡): 

  I’m so old I remember three weeks ago when all the big-time analysts were saying we should trade the picks that became Kuminga and Moody, plus Wiseman, Wiggins, and maybe a couple of firsts for Pascal Siakam. And Toronto fans were like, “Hmm, lemme think about that one.”

• belilaugh (6 ♡): 

  According to Perks, the Warriors will still hold Mannion's RFA rights as long as they submit a QO every season. 

  Meanwhile, Mannion will get to play a lot more in Italy (and perhaps also get paid more), and the Warriors will free up a two-way spot for someone more ready to contribute (I know nothing about Chiozza, just going off his age lol). And then a few years from now hopefully Mannion will be ready for the league.

  Sounds like a good deal for all parties.

• Daniel Hardee (6 ♡): 

  Kuminga hoops like a football player

• Arash (5 ♡): 

  Apparently, he played very well under Kenny Atkinson (good defender/passer) with competent shooting splits but those splits suffered under Nash's Nets. If we get Atkinson Chiozza, not a bad roster usage, but if we get Nash Chioza then its a negative. 

• hammystyle (4 ♡): 

  Here's a piece on Chris Chiozza from NetsDaily. My take is that he's a player you have to see to appreciate. A small JJ-Barea-esque energetic guard who plays with a lot of speed and chutzpah.

  https://www.netsdaily.com/2020/3/6/21167542/film-study-whats-a-chiozza-were-all-finding-out-together

  I remember hearing about him late last year (19-20) because when he got a chance to play he really opened some eyes. They had a stretch in March and then the bubble where they had a few players hurt, but he stepped into a 20+ mpg role and played a pretty big role in them winning the majority of those games. There was some buzz of "the Nets have done it again" in finding an off the street guy who can really play.

• Klaymatic37 (4 ♡): 

  If kumings develops just an average mid range shot, he will be great. Watching this game, I can see why he is considered raw but am excited to see develop. 

  Moody looks super solid as well. I like these pics!