Warriors, Mavericks could become trade partners before deadline

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The Dallas Mavericks are a few weeks removed from playing the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, but the two franchises could find themselves aligned once again as they move towards the trade deadline on Feb. 5.
Bleacher Report writer Scott Polacek listed the Mavs as a potential landing spot for Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga.
"As for the Mavericks, everything is about building around rookie Cooper Flagg," Polacek wrote.
"Kuminga is a young playmaker who would be on the Duke product's timeline and someone who can slash into the lane and take advantage of the spacing created when Flagg draws additional defenders. While Dallas is in something of an awkward situation with veterans such as Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving (once he returns) on the roster with Flagg, the rookie is the future.
"And Kuminga could be a solid supporting cast player alongside Flagg for years to come if he finally lived up to his potential in Dallas."
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Kuminga to the Mavs?
Kuminga is viewed as a negative asset for the Warriors, but he still has a lot of potential that could be tapped into.
Kuminga was the No. 7 overall pick for the Warriors in the 2021 NBA Draft out of G League Ignite, which received criticism as the developmental league's pathway to the pros for players fresh out of high school. Kuminga found himself as a potential contributor for the Warriors earlier in his career, but that has faded over the years.
This season, Kuminga has fallen out of Steve Kerr's rotation, playing in just 18 games, where he is averaging 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the Warriors.
Kuminga is making $22.5 million this season and has a team option for next year, so if the Mavericks were to make a trade, they could see what they have in the 23-year-old this season before deciding if he is worth the top price tag of $24.3 million for next year.
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Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.
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