Jonathan Kuminga Sign-and-Trade Packages and 2025 NBA Free Agency Landing Spots

A breakup between Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors has seemingly been brewing for a couple of years now, but the possibility started to feel like an eventuality when he was removed entirely from the team's playoff rotation prior to Stephen Curry's hamstring injury.

Now, with the Warriors eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves, we can start talking about his possible landing spots a bit more openly.

The Athletic's Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II wrote that Golden State owner Joe Lacob is unlikely to allow Kuminga to sign an offer sheet in restricted free agency and walk away for nothing, "But both sides are expected to explore sign-and-trade scenarios..."

It's peak posturing season, too. And given Kuminga's struggles to fit in alongside Jimmy Butler, there may be an offer sheet big enough to scare the Warriors off.

Some of the teams that make sense for the 22-year-old forward next season can be found below.

Chicago Bulls

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Jonathan Kuminga (via sign-and-trade) for Nikola Vučević, Lonzo Ball and a 2029 top-5 protected first-round pick

The Warriors need a center, and the Chicago Bulls have a win-now big man in Nikola Vučević whose shooting and passing would make him an easy fit on offense.

His defense is certainly tougher to sell, but a team with Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler can hide a lot of Vuč's flaws on that end.

And depending on how big Kuminga's salary would be in a sign-and-trade, the Bulls are a trading partner that might be able to provide Golden State with two rotation players.

Given his health, Lonzo Ball would be a pretty big roll of the dice, but he's another player with size, vision, passing ability and plenty of basketball IQ. And Golden State's gamble on Shaun Livingston back in 2014 paid off.

For the Bulls, the vision should be of a roster that fits around Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Coby White and whoever's added in this year's draft.

Kuminga is closer to them in age than Vučević, and he'd be a heck of a lob target for Giddey, with his above-the-rim athleticism.

Brooklyn Nets

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The Brooklyn Nets could have upwards of $50 million in cap space this summer, which makes them one of the teams that could give Kuminga the kind of offer sheet that might actually make Lacob and the Warriors squirm.

Because he's set to be a restricted free agent, Golden State will have the option to match whatever he signs, but would it really want to pay him over $30 million annually?

Given the aforementioned fit issues, his career 33.2 three-point percentage and his lackluster rebound, assist, steal and block rates, a number like that could scare off the incumbents.

So, why would Brooklyn be willing to go that high? Other than needing to push the Warriors out of the mix, Kuminga is a 22-year-old with high-level athleticism, even relative to other NBA players.

Some of his finishes over the years have been reminiscent of a young Amar'e Stoudemire. His 37.0 three-point percentage in 2022-23 suggests there may still be a shooter to uncover, too.

And if the Nets aren't able to land a star in a trade this summer, a gamble on a high-pedigree young player who just didn't quite pan out at his first stop isn't a bad way to go.

Washington Wizards

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The Washington Wizards are another young team that could justify taking a flier on Kuminga.

A front line with him, Bilal Coulibaly and Alexandre Sarr would be long, athletic and versatile on both ends of the floor.

And, like Chicago, Washington can send a couple rotation-caliber players back to the Warriors in return for him.

Marcus Smart is another potential risk on the health front, but his defense and willingness to move the ball would make him an easy fit with Golden State's ethos. And Corey Kispert could give them another potential game-changing outside shooter.

Back in April, we even floated the idea of a potential three-team deal that would rope in the Sacramento Kings and give the Warriors both Kispert and Jonas Valančiūnas, and a simplified outline of that package can be seen below:

Warriors Receive: Corey Kispert, Jonas Valančiūnas and a top-5 protected 2031 first-round pick from Washington

Wizards Receive: Jonathan Kuminga (via sign-and-trade) and Malik Monk

Kings Receive: Marcus Smart, Buddy Hield, Saddiq Bey, Trayce Jackson-Davis and a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick from Washington (via Golden State)

Phoenix Suns

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Jonathan Kuminga (via sign-and-trade), Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and a 2027 first-round pick for Kevin Durant

This possibility would obviously require the Warriors to give up more than just Kuminga, but because they got out of the Jimmy Butler trade without too much damage to their asset stash, there may still be a sliver of a chance for a Kevin Durant reunion.

Golden State can send multiple first-round picks and/or first-round pick swaps to the Suns, Kuminga on a new contract, some salary filler and one or two other promising younger players (like Brandin Podziemski) for KD.

And Phoenix might have to seriously consider something like that. Durant turns 37 in September, has a pretty robust injury history and couldn't prevent this Suns season from going off the rails.

There are other teams that can beat the Warriors' offer for him, but at this point, they may not want to.

And while the window for contention wouldn't be open long (or maybe all that wide) for a team with 37-year-old Durant, 37-year-old Curry, 36-year-old Butler and 35-year-old Draymond, Golden State would have a better chance with that group than it did in 2024-25.

Golden State Warriors

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Of course, Kuminga isn't a lock to be playing elsewhere. The team a restricted free agent last played for has a huge advantage.

Beyond having the ability to match any offer sheet Kuminga signs, the mere threat of that ability can scare potential suitors away.

And messaging from Golden State is keeping the door open for a return.

"Nothing about Kuminga’s future is decided," Slater and Thompson added. "Dunleavy’s front office and Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, will need to work through the various options. If he were to return, there’s been talk about Kerr giving the four-man combination of Curry, Kuminga, Green and Butler more of an early-season runway, and Butler has discussed working with Kuminga this summer."

Again, he's only 22. There's plenty of potential yet to be tapped. And it wouldn't hurt to have anything to look forward to post-Curry.

Kuminga can get better. Fitting in Golden State isn't an impossibility. And if it one day proves to be, the Warriors can always trade him later.