Among all the moments Steve Kerr has talked about Jonathan Kuminga, this one was the most sincere to those listening. It comes when an anticipated two-year-long rift between player and coach culminated in a trade. Kuminga and Buddy Hield are heading to the Atlanta Hawks. Kerr had been claiming that he’d give the youngster game time. However, in a rare moment of vulnerability, the Golden State Warriors coach is apologizing for the way it all panned out.

After thanking both Hield and Kuminga in his first press conference since the trade, Kerr admitted that Kuminga wasn’t “always the right fit.”

The coach did not shy away from his own responsibility in the young forward’s inconsistent development.

“I’m sorry that it didn’t happen here, and I, you know, we all take ownership of that, and definitely things I could have done better,” Kerr confessed to the media.

The deal, which also included Hield in exchange for veteran center Kristaps Porzingis, marks the end of a tumultuous four-and-a-half-year journey for Kuminga in the Bay Area.

While Kerr took time to praise Hield as “one of the best teammates” he’s ever seen, his post-trade reflections clearly focused on Kuminga, whose tenure was often defined by public disagreements over minutes and role.

Kerr revealed he and Kuminga spoke and parted on good terms. Despite the “rocky road,” the coach still respects the 23-year-old star.

“I really hope JK finds his way, whether it’s Atlanta or wherever else, I really want to see him succeed,” Kerr added. “In the end, two really quality human beings, and we’re going to miss both.”

The emotional departure reflects a harsh reality for the Warriors. Kerr finally gets what he wants, focusing on optimizing Stephen Curry‘s window now rather than going along with the front office’s long-term rebuilding plan.

Steve Kerr closes the Jonathan Kuminga experiment

Steve Kerr’s remarks finally close the chapter on a rollercoaster period for the Warriors. By shipping out Jonathan Kuminga, a player once viewed as the franchise’s future centerpiece, Kerr and the front office are admitting that it was impossible to bridge immediate championship contention with long-term aspirations.

Kerr’s apology also underscores the unique pressure Kuminga faced in San Francisco as the seventh overall pick in 2021. He entered the Warriors dynasty that was still in active championship pursuit, but his purpose was to be the cornerstone of the post-Curry rebuild. That created a fundamental disconnect with Kerr, whose designs were meant to win in the moment.

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“He was undoubtedly put in some tough spots,” Kerr explained tonight. “He got here with very little experience. That’s a tough thing to reconcile, and I wish I had done a better job of making that happen.”

Instead of helping Kuminga integrate, the young forward was cycled in and out of the rotation. He had been a healthy scratch since mid-December. His second game back ended with an injury and an indefinite hiatus. His and Jimmy Butler’s back-to-back injuries forced the front office to finally change its stance.

Instead of waiting for Kuminga to reach his ceiling, Kristaps Porzingis will now anchor the frontcourt in a season that Kerr still expects to have a deep postseason run despite Butler’s injury. Meanwhile, the coach’s apology serves as a somber postscript to an underdog storyline that never quite found its footing.

The Warriors also made another swap, sending Trayce Jackson-Davis to Toronto for a second-round pick, which is expected to be set in stone soon.