Which Kuminga Suitors Can Help Warriors Land Michael Porter Jr. in 3-Team Deal?

Michael Porter Jr. is the one realistic Golden State Warriors trade target who moves the needle, but there are a few hurdles to getting a deal done.

For one, it’s not clear if the Brooklyn Nets will trade him. They have plenty of reasons to do so, but they could choose to keep him and extend him as a long-term piece of their rebuild.

But assuming they take advantage of his value being higher than ever and trade him in the next few weeks, the main issue is they reportedly have no interest in Jonathan Kuminga.

The Warriors essentially have to send out Kuminga and Moses Moody to make the money work in a Porter trade. If the Nets don’t want Kuminga, there might be only one way to get the trade across the finish line: find a third team that a) wants Kuminga and b) has something of value to trade to the Nets.

We have a pretty good idea which teams have some interest in Kuminga, but we don’t know if those teams have anything the Nets like. But we can make some educated guesses, which I do below.

Sacramento Kings

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan or Zach LaVine
Would the Nets be interested? Probably not interested in any of them

The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported Thursday that the Kings are still the most interested Kuminga suitor.

The Warriors are surely hoping the Nets have interest in Monk or DeRozan because if so, a three-team trade with Golden State, Brooklyn and Sacramento would likely happen.

I’d be shocked if the Nets wanted DeRozan, a 36-year-old whose contract is guaranteed for $10 million for the 2026-27 season.

Monk is more interesting as a 27-year-old making $18.8 million this season, $20.2 million next season and $21.6 million in 2027-28 (player option).

I’m guessing the Nets are scared off by Monk’s defense and inconsistent three-point shot. His career percentage is just 35.4 percent. He’s also old enough that he’s unlikely to make a leap.

The last name we have to consider is Zach LaVine. LaVine, 30, has a player option for $49 million next season, which he'll pick up for sure. The Nets could trade for him, hope he has a monster last three months of the season and look to deal him next season.

Even if LaVine improves his trade value, I doubt there will be much of a market for him next season. LaVine is a great scorer, but he's not much of a playmaker or defender, and teams are too smart to give up anything of value for a player with his weaknesses making $49 million.

Chicago Bulls

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Coby White
Would the Nets be interested? Likely some interest

Coby White is similar to Monk in that they are both scoring combo guards, but White is more appealing for a variety of reasons. He’s a better shooter and a better scorer. At 25, he’s two years younger. And though he’s not an impactful defender, he’s much less of a weak link than Monk.

You might ask, why would the Bulls trade him for Kuminga? White is a free agent at the end of the season. The Bulls can’t extend him with a contract he deserves before free agency due to an NBA extension rule.

Instead of risking losing him for nothing, they can get Kuminga from the Warriors and perhaps a lower-value first-round pick from Brooklyn.

By acquiring White, the Nets would be in the same predicament as the Bulls now in that they couldn’t extend him and would risk losing him in free agency. But they would be banking on White loving his three-month tryout and choosing them over other free-agent suitors.

This is the most realistic scenario here.

Washington Wizards

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Khris Middleton
Would the Nets be interested? Absolutely not

The Nets don’t want a declining 34-year-old making $33.3 million. All other Wizards trade packages would include multiple young pieces they aren’t willing to trade.

Dallas Mavericks

Main pieces they can offer the Nets: Max Christie and Daniel Gafford or Christie and PJ Washington
Would the Nets be interested? Yes, but would the Mavs be interested?

Christie is a 22-year-old shooting guard making 44.1 percent of his threes this season, so the Nets would likely want him. But would the Mavericks give up the most positive part of the Luka Doncic trade just to end up with Jonathan Kuminga? I’m guessing they wouldn’t.

The Mavericks could use Gafford (27) or Washington (27) with different salary filler to entice the Nets, but both are older and have lower ceilings than the Nets would want as a centerpiece.

Portland Trail Blazers

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Robert Williams III
Would the Nets be interested? No

The Nets won’t want Williams, an oft-injured 28-year-old. The Blazers would also be willing to trade Jerami Grant (31) or Jrue Holiday (35), but they are too old and expensive for the Nets.

Indiana Pacers

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Bennedict Mathurin
Would the Nets be interested? Maybe, but would the Pacers be interested?

Mathurin is currently out with a thumb injury, but if the Nets acquired him, they’d be thinking of him as a long-term piece. The 23-year-old is a restricted free agent, which would give the Nets the control they need to keep him.

Mathurin is similar to Kuminga as a player, so it’s up for debate whether the Nets want Mathurin or the Pacers want Kuminga.

It feels unlikely that all three parties would agree to something here.

Los Angeles Lakers

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Rui Hachimura
Would the Nets be interested: No

Rui Hachimura is a free agent this offseason. If the Nets want salary-cap space, they can simply keep Kuminga and decline his team option this offseason.

New Orleans Pelicans

Main piece they can offer the Nets: Zion Williamson
Would the Nets be interested: Maybe

Before you say it, no, the Pelicans will not trade Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones to facilitate a Kuminga trade. Both are way more valuable than Kuminga, so it doesn’t make sense.

The Pelicans have three big contracts (Williamson, Jordan Poole, Dejounte Murray) they likely want to get rid of. I’m guessing the Nets have no interest in any of them. But the most interesting of them is Williamson.

When he plays, he’s a dominant force. The Nets would be buying low on him, essentially getting the draft capital from the Warriors and Williamson, while the Pels get the Kuminga/Moody/Hield Warriors package and the Warriors get Porter.

The Pelicans are likely looking to clear the frontcourt minutes for Derik Queen, and I’m guessing they wouldn’t ask for any draft capital for Williamson, just like the Hawks got no draft capital for Trae Young.

This is why I think Williamson is gettable this trade season even though Chris Haynes reported the Pelicans aren't shopping him.

The biggest question mark in this trade framework is whether the Nets want Williamson, 25, on the books for two more years when they are trying to build a young core with Egor Demin and others.

I could see it. He’s young enough to be a long-term piece, but what’s more likely is they rehabilitate his value and look to trade him just like they did with Porter.