Kuminga, Fined: $35K for Confrontation with Referee in Preseason Game

Kuminga Fined for Inappropriate Contact with a Referee

The NBA has fined Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga $35,000 for his actions that led to his ejection during the first half of a preseason game in Portland on Tuesday night. Kuminga was frustrated after not getting a foul call on a shot attempt with seven seconds left in the second quarter. After stumbling while attempting a drive to the basket through two defenders and missing the layup, Kuminga immediately went to referee Rodney Mott, clapping in his face. Mott proceeded to eject Kuminga. Two days later, the league sanctioned Kuminga for “making inappropriate contact with a game official and continuing to pursue him”.

After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated that “I actually liked [the ejection]” because he has been looking for a little more energy from Kuminga.

Steve Kerr

“He got fouled,” Kerr said. “It was a frustration play. I have no problem with that. He deserved the foul. They were fouling him quite a bit. It was a physical game.” After some tense contract negotiations this summer, Kuminga returned to the Warriors with a two-year, $46.8 million contract earlier this month, arriving at training camp a couple of days late. He has shown improvement in playmaking in the preseason and had 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists at the time of his ejection. “The way he ran on the play [of the ejection], the activity with which he played, the rebound,” Kerr said. “That’s the JK that can really help our team, I loved the way he played. I love the fire, the passion, I don’t mind the ejection at all.” It appeared that Kuminga’s arm had been hit on the drive, but he told ESPN in the post-game locker room that what bothered him most was that his right ankle was grazed on the gather step. Kuminga severely sprained his right ankle last season and said he had a flashback of that injury when Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija accidentally stepped on it, causing him to lose his temper with the referee. “I wasn’t surprised he was ejected because he got in [Mott]’s face,” Kerr said. “You can’t do that. You’re going to get ejected if you do that.”