Three Realistic Jonathan Kuminga Landing Spots After Warriors Trade Demand

Now that Jonathan Kuminga has formally demanded a trade from the Warriors, where might he end up? | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

After simmering for several years (and nearly boiling over this past summer), the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga situation has finally hit a breaking point.

On Thursday the 23-year-old forward demanded a trade from Golden State, the same day he became eligible to be moved after signing a contract last offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The trade demand comes after over a month of DNPs by coach Steve Kerr, who recently called the situation “difficult” for both parties. The Dubs now have three weeks until the February 5 trade deadline to grant Kuminga’s request; in his initial report that the forward wanted out ESPN’s Shams Charania noted the Warriors might hold off until the offseason to maximize possible trade returns but rival executives believe that’s a bluff.

After many months of rumors, it seems like a Kuminga trade might finally happen. He was a main character of last offseason’s trade rumors but the Warriors opted to sign him to a two-year deal worth $47 million instead of getting what they could for the former lottery pick. But the nature of a midseason trade is a lot different than transactions executed in the offseason and the landscape of the NBA has shifted significantly since the last time Kuminga was eligible to be traded in the summertime. And his value may have changed as well. He hasn’t done much to convince teams to trade for him this year, averaging only 11.8 points per game, but some team out there could buy into his still-present potential as a dangerous slashing threat with the size to defend multiple positions.

So, in this new landscape, where could Kuminga realistically end up? Which teams have both the desire to bet on his talents and the assets that would convince the Warriors a trade right now is worthwhile? Let’s break down three such landing spots for the disgruntled fifth-year player.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings are the one team that have remained consistently interested in Kuminga dating back to last year and remain the most logical spot for him to land. Sacramento is not good this season, ranking 14th in the West with a 11–30 record so far, and is in desperate need of young talent to build around. Owner Vivek Ranadivé was also part of the Warriors’ ownership group prior to purchasing the Kings so there could be a connection there as well.

However, the hang-up is money. Charania reported on Thursday that the Kings’ interest in Kuminga remains but the Warriors do not want to trade him in exchange for contracts that go beyond this season. Specifically, Golden State doesn’t want to send Kuminga out for Kings scorer Malik Monk, who has three years and $60.4 million remaining on his contract. Other options on the Kings roster present similar situations—every player who makes enough to match Kuminga’s salary in a trade is seemingly too expensive for the Warriors’ taste.

Still, if the Warriors decide Kuminga has to go no matter what, the Kings are the most realistic destination. A deal featuring Monk and Keon Ellis seems to come with the least number of negatives. It works well financially, Monk is still productive enough to try to trade him in the offseason, and Charania mentioned Ellis is of potential interest to Golden State. Do the Warriors need backcourt help? No, they do not. But it takes two to tango in NBA trades and the Kings, to this point, have been the only consistent willing trade partner.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks were the other team named in Charania’s Thursday report as an interested party for Kuminga’s talents. They figure to be less of a clean fit than Sacramento but their pursuit still makes sense. Dallas should be looking for any young players who can grow alongside Cooper Flagg and make up the foundation of the next great Mavericks roster. Given Kuminga’s positional overlap with Flagg and consistent reporting suggesting Kuminga wants to play for a team that will allow him to take the lead as a scorer, it isn’t really a perfect fit. But relative to his raw talent Kuminga makes for a smart buy-low candidate for any team lacking in future draft picks—just like the Mavs.

However, it’s hard to come up with a logical trade to get Kuminga to Dallas. If the Warriors wanted Anthony Davis then things could get spicy very quickly. But that would be run counter to their reported goal of avoiding long-term financial commitments given Davis is owed $58 million next season, has a $63 million player option for the following year, and is reported to want an extension from any team that trades for him this year. P.J. Washington is a great fit on the court and makes enough to be included in a Kuminga deal but is in the first season of a four-year deal and is generally useful enough Dallas won’t be quick to give him up.

Ultimately there’s only one trade that works money-wise and would be possibly agreeable to both parties: Daniel Gafford, Jaden Hardy, and Caleb Martin for Kuminga and Buddy Hield. But that is a lot of moving parts and would require both teams to compromise to an extent. Plus Gafford is currently injured. But if the Mavs are named as an interested team then there’s a good chance Kuminga lands there, even if it has to come via a multi-team trade rather than the straight-up transaction between Dallas and GSW above.

Brooklyn Nets

As a rebuilding team with oodles of cap space and no clear young star to build around, the Nets automatically qualify as a realistic Kuminga landing spot. Brooklyn has surprised this season by playing hard defense, and Michael Porter Jr. has stepped up wonderfully as a leader and offensive engine of a young roster. Nevertheless, things aren’t going so well it’s risky to make a trade and the Nets’ goals stretch beyond this season anyway given the franchise is in the middle of a multi-year tank job to find the next star face of the franchise.

They have popped up as a potential Kuminga trade partner before his demand, mostly because some analysts have made the case the Warriors should pursue Porter Jr., but Charania noted on Thursday Golden State has shown zero interest in acquiring the sweet-shooting forward. There isn’t a lot else on the roster to entice the Dubs into a deal, either. But most Kuminga trades are complicated due to his salary and questionable fit. The Nets can offer simplicity, and that may be all it takes to get a deal done.

Brooklyn is one of the few teams capable of a one-to-one player-for-player swap for Kuminga’s talents. The Nets can offer Terrance Mann and his $15.5 million salary for Kuminga straight-up. This, of course, is another offer that would against the Dubs’ reported desire to avoid long-term money as Mann has two years and $31 million remaining on his deal after this season. But that’s a very manageable salary to trade or keep on the books. As for his on-court contributions Mann has not really done much in Brooklyn but plays 26 minutes per game for a demanding coach in Jordi Fernandez.

It’s not a deal that nets the Warriors a huge return but that deal is unlikely to exist. If the Dubs believe in addition by subtraction and just want to move on from Kuminga at this point, the Nets offer the easiest path out of the situation.

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