Kuminga fined $35K for actions toward official

SAN FRANCISCO -- The NBA fined Golden State Warriors guardant Jonathan Kuminga $35,000 for the actions that led to his ejection precocious successful the archetypal fractional of a preseason triumph successful Portland connected Tuesday night.

Kuminga was upset aft helium didn't person a whistle connected a changeable effort with 7 seconds near successful the 2nd quarter. Kuminga stumbled portion attempting a barreling modulation thrust done 2 defenders, missed the layup and instantly went aft adjacent authoritative Rodney Mott, clapping successful Mott's face. Mott ejected Kuminga.

Two days later, the league fined Kuminga for "making inappropriate interaction with and continuing to prosecute a crippled official."

After the game, Warriors caput manager Steve Kerr said helium "kind of liked [the ejection], actually" due to the fact that he's been searching for immoderate other occurrence from Kuminga.

"He got fouled," Kerr said. "It was a vexation play. I person nary occupation with it. He deserved the foul. He was getting fouled rather a bit. It was a carnal game."

After immoderate contentious declaration negotiations this summer, Kuminga returned to the Warriors connected a two-year, $46.8 cardinal declaration earlier this month, arriving astatine grooming campy a mates days late. He has flashed immoderate improved playmaking successful the preseason and had 7 points, six rebounds and 4 assists astatine the infinitesimal of his ejection.

"The mode helium ran connected [the ejection] play, the enactment helium played with, the rebounding," Kerr said. "That's the JK who tin truly assistance our team, I loved the mode helium played. I emotion the fire, the passion, I don't caput the ejection astatine all."

Kuminga's limb appeared to beryllium whacked connected the drive, but helium told ESPN successful the postgame locker country that helium was astir upset astir his close ankle getting clipped connected his stitchery step. Kuminga severely twisted his close ankle past play and said helium had a flashback to that wounded erstwhile Portland Trail Blazers guardant Deni Avdija accidentally stepped connected it, causing him to suffer his temper connected the official.

"I wasn't amazed helium got ejected due to the fact that helium benignant of got close successful [Mott's] face," Kerr said. "You can't bash that. They are going to eject you if you bash that."