Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga Fined for Inappropriate Contact with a Referee
The NBA has fined Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga $35,000 due to the actions that resulted in his ejection during the preseason game against 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 responded by ejecting Kuminga. The league suspended Kuminga two days later for “making inappropriate contact with a game official and continuing to pursue him.”I actually liked the ejection because I’ve been looking for a little extra fire from Kuminga.
Steve Kerr, Warriors coach
After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his approval of the ejection, highlighting that he had been looking for more intensity from Kuminga. “It was a play of frustration. I have no problem with that. He deserved the foul. He was getting a lot of fouls. It was a physical game,” Kerr added.
Kuminga, who recently signed a two-year, $46.8 million contract with the Warriors, has shown improvement in his game during the preseason. At the time of his ejection, he had accumulated 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kerr praised Kuminga’s energy and passion in the game, mentioning his activity on the boards and his effort on the court. “I love the way he played. I love the fire, the passion, I don’t care about the ejection at all,” he commented. Kuminga revealed that, although he seemed to receive a blow to the arm during the play, what bothered him most was that his right ankle was stepped on, reminding him of an injury suffered last season. Kerr added that he was not surprised by the ejection, given that Kuminga confronted the referee, something that cannot be done.
