NBA Trade Rumors: Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga Eyed by Pacers amid De'Andre Hunter Buzz
The Indiana Pacers have reportedly inquired about the availability of Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga on the trade market.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Pacers are in search of a starting forward, and they contacted the Warriors to ask about Kuminga's availability.
The Pacers reportedly also got close to acquiring forward De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, but they were unwilling to move down from the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft as part of the deal.
Golden State made Kuminga the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and while he has flashed immense potential at times, his playing time has been capped due to the Warriors' depth and overall talent level.
As a rookie, Kuminga averaged 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 70 games, while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc. He also won an NBA championship, although his playoff averages dropped to 5.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game.
Last season, the 6'7" former G League Ignite star saw his minutes increase from 16.9 per game to 20.8 per game, resulting in him averaging 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists, in addition to shooting 52.5 percent from the floor and 37.0 percent from long range.
However, Kuminga was a virtual non-factor in the playoffs once again, averaging just 6.1 minutes per game.
Kuminga has room to grow and become a key contributor for the Warriors, but Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and Moses Moody are all under contract for next season, plus Golden State is expected to try to re-sign veteran forward Draymond Green in free agency.
If the Warriors don't feel as though they can carve out a bigger role for Kuminga next season, a trade for more immediate help could be a realistic option.
The Pacers seem to be trying to rebuild on the fly after missing the playoffs with a 35-47 record last season despite having some promising pieces capable of turning things around in the near future.
Guard Tyrese Haliburton is the centerpiece of the team after earning his first All-Star selection last season, plus Bennedict Mathurin was one of the NBA's best rookies last season, and both Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are highly productive veterans.
Kuminga would seemingly fit in perfectly with the Pacers as a starting forward who can grow with Haliburton and Mathurin, while learning from Turner and Hield, although it is possible Turner or Hield would be involved in a trade for Kuminga.
If the Warriors decide to keep Kuminga and continue developing him, Fischer noted that the Pacers could be players for a forward in free agency with Kyle Kuzma, Harrison Barnes and Grant Williams as the potential options.
