The Golden State Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Kuminga wants more playing time and a chance to show off his skills, while the Warriors believe he doesn’t fit alongside Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. They hoped to find a trade partner this summer and upgrade their roster using the young forward. However, that hasn’t been the case. The good news for the Warriors is that they can follow a path with another lottery pick from the 2021 NBA draft.
Warriors Have the Blueprint for a Kuminga Deal
More than two weeks into free agency, Kuminga hasn’t signed an offer sheet, and the Warriors haven’t received significant offers from other teams. One reason is that the teams expected to pursue him went in other directions. And right now, it all points to Kuminga returning to Golden State for the near future.
Last offseason, the Houston Rockets managed to negotiate a three-year contract extension with Jalen Green for $106 million. It wasn’t the max, but it was still a decent salary. But there was one important detail that the Rockets put in the contract: a 10% trade kicker.
That trade kicker helped them when they needed to match salary for a Kevin Durant trade. Basically, they gave Green the money he wanted, but with a clear intention to trade him if/when something came up. Golden State can follow a similar path, whether for $30 million per year or less than that. The reality is that with the new apron era, teams cannot afford to give huge contracts to players who are not superstars.
Warriors Can Trade Kuminga at the Deadline
The Warriors effectively have a two-year window in which they can compete with their current stars like Butler, Curry, and Draymond Green. All three are signed through the 2026-27 season. Of course, if something comes up and they can trade Butler for someone like LeBron James, things change.
Right now, it seems like that is the trio that will either win a championship in the next two years or retire after that. The Warriors currently have nine players under contract. They have also extended a qualifying offer to Kuminga, making him a restricted free agent. At the beginning of next season, they need to have a minimum of 12 players. They can also get to 15, but teams often like to keep a roster spot open.
Who Can the Warriors Get?
The Warriors will love to get a younger player who can contribute right now and play a key role moving forward with Steph closing to retirement, but those are not easy to get. Still, there will be some players worth watching.
For starters, Trey Murphy in New Orleans. With a new general manager, the Pelicans are one of the strangest teams in the league. They finished at the bottom last season due to injuries. While on paper, they have a team that can compete for a playoff spot, if they have another bad season, there will be some shakeup at the deadline. Murphy is a star-level athlete, with a good shot and plenty of potential. He is much better from three-point range, which would fit the Warriors’ system. Of course, the Warriors will need to attach a pick or two to sweeten the deal.
Darius Garland is another interesting option. The Cleveland Cavaliers will go into another season with Garland and Donovan Mitchell as their starting backcourt. Can that work? Garland battled injuries toward the end of the regular season, limiting his production in the playoffs. Depending on where the team is at the deadline, the Cavs might pull the plug on Garland.
Ja Morant and Zion Williamson are two intriguing options. Both are injury-prone and have had troubles in the past few seasons. But when healthy, they are former No.1 and No.2 picks that can make a huge impact in the game.
Or, if the Warriors need to make a final push, trading for a guy like Jrue Holiday might be an option. The Portland Trail Blazers might say they want him to help them compete, but it is hard to see them making any noise. Holiday will be a coveted veteran at the deadline for teams trying to make a final push for the title.
With a new, higher-salary contract and a trade kicker, the Warriors can use Kuminga as an asset to get someone else, just like the Rockets did with Green.
© Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The post Warriors Have the Blueprint for a Kuminga Deal appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.