New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Idea Sends Jonathan Kuminga to New Orleans, Hawks Add Frontcourt Depth

Could the Hawks add some cost-controlled frontcourt depth as a part of a bigger move that sends Jonathan Kuminga to New Orleans?

Mar 28, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

After being eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, it's clear the Golden State Warriors need to consider changes. Acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline helped improve their roster, but their matchup against the Timberwolves showed that the Warriors still need more on defense and could use more shooting. They had no answer for Julius Randle in the Timberwolves series and went on several cold streaks without Steph Curry to push them forward. Draymond Green has been an incredible defensive anchor throughout the Warriors' dynasty, but it's fair to wonder if the Warriors need to consider getting him more help on that end. They already had a strong defense with Butler and Green - adding a third component to that without sacrificing anything on offense while also shoring up their depth could take Golden State to another level next season. The clearest way towards acquiring that player is by moving on from talented young forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga has struggled to fit into the Warriors' system and it's possible a change of scenery could unlock his potential.

The New Orleans Pelicans might be able to both acommodate Kuminga and give Golden State another defensive stopper for the right price. After making the trade for Dejounte Murray last offseason (and giving away Dyson Daniels), things went horribly wrong. Murray tore his Achilles, Brandon Ingram was traded, and players like Zion Williamson and Herb Jones battled injuries. The Pelicans could land the No. 1pick in this year's draft and get Copper Flagg, but even if they don't, is it time to retool? Players like Jones, promising young forward Trey Murphy III and even Williamson could fetch a hefty price in a trade.

Because both the Warriors and Pelicans aren't working with a ton of salary space this summer, adding a third team into the deal might make sense. The Hawks could be that third team. Atlanta has a ton of financial flexibility this summer, which they can use to address their needs at interior defense, front court depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. NBA insider Marc Stein has already reported that Atlanta could also look to be facilitators this summer in the trade market due to their financial flexibility, depending on if the team brings back any of Caris LeVert, Clint Capela, or Larry Nance.

Given the needs of all three teams, what would a trade between them look like? Here is one possible framework for a deal.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Trayce Jackson-Davis

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Jonathan Kuminga (S&T contract of 4-year, $96.5 million), 2026 1st round pick (via GSW, unprotected), 2031 1st round pick swap (via GSW)

Golden State Warriors Receive: Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado, Karlo Matkovic, 2027 2nd round pick (via CLE, from ATL),

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Jackson-Davis fell out of the Warriors' rotation last season, but he's been a good player when his number is called. As a rookie, he averaged 1.1 blocks and had impressive defensive performances like blocking Giannis three times in one game. However, Quinten Post took his role this season and Jackson-Davis was relegated to a bench role. n the Warriors' Game 2 loss to the Wolves, Jackson-Davis got more minutes and scored 15 points while grabbing six rebounds. He's a complete non-shooter, but he can be a lob threat and capable defender if given an opportunity. Considering that the Hawks do need a backup center, it would be helpful to acquire Jackson-Davis as a younger option who could give the Hawks some more insurance at the backup center spot.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal:  TJD isn't a shooting threat at all and would be exclusively used as a rim-runner. That archetype of player is starting to fade out of the NBA and he's a below average FT shooter. There doesn't seem to be many signs indicating that he can be a positive contributor on offense, which limits his role at this stage.

Why the Warriors would do this deal: A healthy Herb Jones is an excellent defensive complement to Butler and Green. He's never finished below the 94th percentile for STL% across all wings in his career and posted a career-best STL% of 2.8% in the 20 games he played this season. In the 2023-24 season, he also recorded a fantastic BLK% of 2.6%. He's one of the best perimeter defenders in the league because he excels at both on-ball and off-ball defense. Jones has even played center in small-ball lineups, meaning that he can even go against opposing centers if needed. That frees up Green from constantly taking on those matchups. Adding him to a lineup that already has two defenders as smart as Green and Butler would propel Golden State into being an elite defense next season. On offense, Jones isn't the most dynamic player, but he shot 41.8% from three-point range on 3.6 attempts per game in his last healthy season. That should be enough to remain viable in Golden State's offense. The increased reliance on Curry to generate offense has placed a greater load on his body, so adding a backup point guard this summer would make some sense. Alvarado averaged a career-high 10.6 points per game and a career-best 4.6 assists on an AST% of 27.3%. Despite his size, he's a disruptor on defense and would pair nicely with Gary Payton II (assuming he re-signs with GSW) on that end. He finished in the 88th percentile across all guards with a STL% of 2.2%, so he is more than capable of holding his own against opposing ball-handlers. Matkovic is an interesting prospect - he's an athletic center with some signs of being a useful scorer. He shot 77.3% from the charity stripe and while he only shot 31.8% from deep on limited volume, he's an excellent finisher at the rim (shot 77% at the rim last season - 92nd percentile among all centers) and 51% on midrange attempts (81st percentile among all bigs). He's not a great rebounder and he needs to develop on defense, but the Warriors could turn him into a rotation player with time. It also improves their depth at center assuming that Kevon Looney is not back with the team in 2025-26.

Why the Warriors would not do this deal: This is one of their last big moves of the Steph era and they won't have the draft capital to make many other significant moves. Furthermore, it's possible that they are giving up on TJD too quickly and that Jones won't be able to fit into the offense smoothly.

Why the Pelicans would do this deal: Jonathan Kuminga's flashes of potential are incredibly tantalizing. With Curry out in the Minnesota series, he dropped 30 points in Game 3 against a very strong Timberwolves defense. He's an incredibly athletic wing who converted on 72% of his attempts at the rim last season, good for the 87th percentile relative to all wings. One of his most useful skills is drawing tons of contact - he finished last season in the 94th percentile among wings for percentage of shots fouled on (16,5%). Although he's not a great defender, he has tons of defensive potential that shows up in spurts. The Pelicans would still have a young wing trio in TMIII, Zion and Kuminga to develop for the future. Adding the seventh overall pick to that mix could make them a playoff team in the West sooner rather than later. They also add to their stash of draft picks with a draft pick in a loaded 2026 draft class and a possible first-round pick upgrade in the 2031 draft.

Why the Pelicans would not do this deal: Kuminga's shooting is a real problem. He's a great finisher inside the paint and can get by defenders due to his athleticism, but he shoots 35% on midrange attempts and only 66.8% from the free throw line. That could be a problem considering that Zion operates in the paint as well and doesn't really shoot threes. Furthermore, while Kuminga has all the tools to be a great defender, he hasn't consistently shown himself to be a defensive stopper and needs more time to grow on that end.

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