It’s starting to look like the Jonathan Kuminga saga could drag out into the summer, even though that’s not what anyone had hoped for. Things have been trending in that direction for a while, despite Kuminga’s roller-coaster season with the Golden State Warriors, and now it really looks like they might end up that way.
Kuminga, after a long stalemate of an offense, returned to the Warriors on a 1+1, and it seemed there was an unspoken agreement that he would be dealt at the deadline. But then he was in the starting
lineup on opening day, and thrived, and it briefly looked as though he would return to being a core part of the team going forward.
That didn’t last long. Kuminga was removed from the starting lineup and, eventually, the rotation altogether. When he became trade eligible on January 15, he asked for a trade, and it seemed the writing was on the wall.
Not so fast. The Warriors, while clearly trying to trade the fifth-year wing, poured some cold water on the idea when Mike Dunleavy Jr. pointed out that there needs to be an interested party with a compelling offer in order for a trade to occur. And all the rumors and reports have suggested that no such offer has taken place.
Which brings us to the star of the hour: Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Warriors are trying with all their might to trade for the two-time MVP, and all of their chips are on the table. Kuminga would almost certainly be involved in any deal for the superstar: his contract could be paired with Draymond Green’s to match salary, or, if the Dubs use Jimmy Butler III to match salary, Kuminga could be added on top to allow Milwaukee to offload a contract.
Golden State has put all of their eggs in the Giannis basket and, as such, they’re unlikely to entertain any other trades until the Antetokounmpo situation is fully resolved (there wasn’t even a hint that they were in on Anthony Davis, for instance, and he was just traded for peanuts).
That puts Kuminga in a funny situation. The Warriors are Giannis or bust, and so, it seems, is Kuminga. Appearing on an episode of Run it Back, The Athletic’s Sam Amick noted that the Sacramento Kings still had interest in Kuminga before the Antetokounmpo rumors heated up, but, “if Giannis doesn’t get traded, I think the Warriors hold him.”
It would potentially be a little awkward if Kuminga rides out the season on the Warriors. But, with Butler’s injury, he’ll have a big role on the Dubs or the rest of the year, if he can get and stay healthy. And if he plays well, the Warriors can opt into his contract for next season, and then make another run at trading him over the summer … maybe even revisiting an Antetokounmpo deal.
