Jonathan Kuminga has been a highly hesitant trade target for the Golden State Warriors ever since they selected him seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. It has been a little perplexing for Golden State to be unwilling to consider trades for Kuminga because he didn’t begin receiving regular starts until halfway through the previous campaign.
Even though Kuminga was extremely productive in his 46 starts last season, averaging 17.2 points per game on a remarkable 53.1% shooting from the field, there remained doubts about which starting lineup, when healthy, was the most effective for Golden State. This was due in large part to Steve Kerr’s play-making throughout the season, which resulted in Kuminga’s role being inconsistent.
Despite never having a consistently defined role, Kuminga has shown flashes of a future star, which is why the Warriors will reportedly only consider dealing him this summer in a trade that brings back an All-NBA player.
This is what Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently reported, writing, “Kuminga will likely be a Warrior going forward unless he’s needed in a trade package for an All-NBA player, HoopsHype has learned.”
Although this report reaffirms Golden State’s desire to hold onto Kuminga, it also raises the possibility that he may not be completely untouchable.
While Golden State’s reluctance to deal Kuminga is understandable, they also need to consider how much they want to maximise Steph Curry’s final years of stardom.