Mike Dunleavy Gives Realest Quote on Kuminga Trade Demand

Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy was asked about Jonathan Kuminga's trade demand before Tuesday's game against the Raptors, and he gave a very sincere answer.

"When you make a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market," Dunleavy told reporters. "So we'll see where that unfolds. But always with these guys, I'm willing to work with them."

The implication here is that there is practically no trade market for Kuminga, and Dunleavy doesn't want to give him away for nothing.

Will the Warriors Play Kuminga with the Hope His Trade Value Improves?

When asked whether Kuminga will be in the rotation moving forward, Steve Kerr said before the game that Kuminga "could be."

I don't totally understand this secrecy, but if I had to guess, the Warriors will continue to hold him out before trading him on Feb. 5. (Update: Kuminga entered the game in the second quarter).

However, there is an argument to be made that they should play him.

I don't think his trade value will explode if he has, say, 30 points in a game before the trade deadline. But it certainly wouldn't hurt.

With that said, he would go from little value to no value if he suffered a significant injury over the next two weeks. So it would be a gamble to put him out there.

What Can the Warriors Get for Kuminga?

ESPN's Shams Charania said Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks have interest in Kuminga. He even suggested that DeMar DeRozan could be a player the Warriors target in a Kuminga trade.

Ideally, the Warriors would get a younger player back in return who can help them out next year and maybe even for several years to come. But if Kuminga's market is as dry as it seems, they might have to settle for older players on teams that want to rebuild.

That's why DeRozan, 36, is an obvious target. Another potential target is 35-year-old Klay Thompson.

Both are under contract through the 2026-27 season, so if the Warriors want expiring contracts, that would make less desirable. But at least both can score.

DeRozan is averaging 19.0 points per game. Thompson is averaging just 12.0 points, but he's on fire right now, having made 50 percent of his last 64 three-point attempts.

If the Warriors have to settle for a veteran, they could do worse than the franchise legend.