Will Jonathan Kuminga Be Traded by Warriors? Latest Rumors, Top NBA Landing Spots
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is reportedly expected to be the subject of trade talks next month.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Kuminga is eligible to be traded starting on Jan. 15, and the Warriors figure to field offers for him as they attempt to upgrade their roster.
Kuminga signed a two-year, $46.8 million deal with the Warriors in September, but only after offseason trade talks with the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings broke down, per Charania.
Charania and ESPN's Anthony Slater first reported back in July that the Warriors had sign-and-trade discussions with the Suns and Kings focused on Kuminga.
It was reported that at least one of the teams offered Kuminga a four-year contract worth nearly $90 million as part of the deal, but Charania said on NBA Today that the Warriors wanted an unprotected first-round pick, which neither team was willing to part with.
Kuminga, 23, was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and he has often shown immense potential that hasn't been fully realized.
He enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2023-24 with a career-high 16.1 points per game on 52.9 percent shooting, but his field goal percentage dropped all the way to 45.4 percent last season, and he averaged only 15.3 points per game as a result.
Kuminga also started only 10 of the 47 regular-season games he appeared in during the 2024-25 campaign, but his ability was on full display during four playoff games without the injured Stephen Curry last season, as he averaged 24.3 points on 55.4 percent shooting.
Despite that, Kuminga's game has taken another step back this season to the tune of just 12.4 points per game on 43.8 percent shooting to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
The Warriors have been up and down with a 13-12 record, placing them eighth in the Western Conference.
Since they are a veteran-laden team built to win now with Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green leading the way, it would be quite understandable if they opt to trade Kuminga in exchange for immediate veteran help.
The Suns and Kings both still make sense as landing spots, although it is unclear if the Kings and Warriors would do business given that Phoenix is 1.5 games ahead of Golden State in the Western Conference playoff race.
A veteran wing like Dillon Brooks could be a huge addition for the Warriors, but he is in the midst of a career year, so it feels unlikely to happen.
Swinging a deal with Sacramento is far more realistic, as the Kings are 13th in the West with a 6-18 mark.
They also have a pair of offensively inclined veterans they can offer up in the form of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Either of them would likely make the Warriors' roster better right now, while Kuminga is a better fit for the Kings' timeline.
