Jonathan Kuminga was the game that dominated much of the Golden State Warriors offseason. The conversation around Kuminga centered on whether he would receive a contract extension that was to both his and his team's liking, a negotiation process that ultimately slowed down much of the other moves the Warriors made in the offseason. 

A number was eventually reached at a two-year, $48.5 million contract and Kuminga secured his spot on the Warriors for a few more years. 

The Warriors' first round draft pick in 2021, Kuminga is looked at to be the next generation of Golden State stars. While he's been a regular presence on the court, the amount of time he's spent on the court has fluctuated. 

While Kuminga regularly found himself as a starter in the beginning of the season and spent at least 30 minutes on the court in close to every game through early November, Kuminga has seen his usage dip significantly in recent weeks. 

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr has made it clear that Kuminga's reduction in minutes isn't due to a lack of belief in the forward's abilities, but a desire from Kerr to see more consistent production from his player. 

“He’s [Kuminga] obviously a guy with a lot of ambition, which I love. He wants to be a star. He’s got the ability that gives him that hope and gives us that hope. There has to be a consistent level of play in order to achieve that," Kerr said (via 95.7 The Game). 

While Kuminga was regularly putting up high double digit scoring performances early in the season, his production began to waver in early November, and while he proved he was capable of standout performances, like his 24 point game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 30, he's also turned in his fair share of low-scoring games as well. 

While the Warriors fight for a playoff spot against tough Western Conference competition, they're left with little room for error. That mans that Kerr has had to make the tough choice of limiting Kuminga until he has more confidence in his young forward's ability to regularly contribute on the court. 

"We’re talking about the best basketball league in the world so the consistency has to be there for us. And if it’s not there, then it makes it much more difficult for me to give him [Kuminga] consistent minutes and give him starts. So that’s what we’re asking for is a more consistent level of production."