Golden State Warriors must trade Jonathon Kuminga

The Feb. 5 trade deadline is fast approaching, which means the Golden State Warriors are in the hot seat to figure out their Jonathan Kuminga conundrum. 

They’re scouring their options on the trade market for the 23-year-old, who has only played 10 minutes since Dec. 6. 

Things began fracturing between Kuminga and the Warriors when it became clear that his ambition of becoming a star often clashed with the role the Warriors wanted him to play.

It seemed as though things may have fallen into place at the start of the season, when Kuminga shined in the first five games with his defense, energy, rebounding and production. But he went on to struggle with inconsistency, turnovers and injuries before falling out of the rotation. 

Kuminga hasn’t played since Dec. 18, which has undoubtedly bruised his trade value. He was expected to return to the lineup against Oklahoma City on Jan. 2 — on a night Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler were out — but he was a late scratch because of back soreness, which raised some eyebrows. 

The Sacramento Kings have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Kuminga, who makes $22.5 million this season, with a team option for $24.3 million next season. But the Warriors haven’t pulled the trigger on a deal. 

With the struggling Dallas Mavericks open for business, an interesting move could be trading Kuminga for Daniel Gafford and a wing, such as Max Christie or even Klay Thompson. Gafford, who helped the Mavericks reach the Finals in 2024, would give the Warriors size and bolster their interior defense. And the Warriors need wing depth.

Not to mention, Kuminga alongside the Mavericks’ No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg could be very interesting. 

Another top trade target in exchange for Kuminga could be Brooklyn Nets wing Michael Porter Jr., though that would likely need to involve a third team. 

The Warriors made a blockbuster move at the trade deadline last season, acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami. It led to them going on a 23-8 run and reaching the second round of the playoffs against Minnesota before Curry suffered a left hamstring injury in Game 1 of that series, derailing their momentum. 

The Warriors have looked like a play-in team this season with a 20-18 record. They’ve struggled with lineups and consistency. And in a rare moment of unbridled honesty from an NBA coach, Kerr even recently called the Warriors “a fading dynasty,” adding on the “Tom Tolbert Show” that it was delusional for them to believe they can consistently compete with young powerhouses such as Oklahoma City and San Antonio. 

Kerr’s comments went viral. He was widely criticized for his pessimism. But what was glazed over was he also said of this season: “There’s no reason we can’t give ourselves an opportunity.” 

The Warriors could very much still be competitive, especially if they can find a good return for Kuminga.

Curry is still Curry, averaging 28.8 points on 46.8 percent shooting. Butler is shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. As for Green, Kerr acknowledged that he’s not “quite as quick” as he was five years ago on the defensive end, but added that he makes up for it with his brain, calling him still “one of the greatest defenders in the league.” 

It seems as though the Warriors are a piece away from being able to make some noise in the Western Conference. They’ve already begun turning the corner, winning seven of their last 10 games and they’re in the midst of an eight-game homestand. 

And with Kuminga wanting a larger role and a mutual breakup seeming inevitable, they have a shot at plugging some holes if they can find a suitable return for the potential young star. 

The Warriors are in a unique situation.

They already resuscitated the dynasty once, winning a championship in 2022 after they were left for dead, having missed the playoffs in 2020 and 2021 after Kevin Durant left in free agency in 2019 and Curry and Klay Thompson suffered a string of injuries. 

Over the past three seasons, the Warriors haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs.  

It remains to be seen whether Golden State has another push for greatness left in them before the dynasty’s eventual collapse. What they’re able to do with Kuminga could have a big impact on that.