What the Golden State Warriors do with Jonathan Kuminga stays one of many most pressing questions of the 2025 NBA free agency cycle. There’s a widespread expectation the Warriors will transfer on from the previous No. 7 general decide by means of a sign-and-trade, and his market is rising. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reports six groups have various ranges of curiosity in Kuminga: The Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets.
The Kings and Wizards have essentially the most momentum of the bunch, Slater studies. Sacramento provided a bundle of Devin Carter, Dario Šarić and two second-round picks, however the Warriors weren’t receptive to the perceived buy-low transfer. Washington, in the meantime, put its hat within the ring Thursday and is a surging contender to land Kuminga as a key piece in its rebuild.
The Bulls and Warmth had been two early candidates to make a transfer for Kuminga. Chicago reportedly mentioned a commerce deal round final season’s deadline, whereas Miami might stay out there after it missed out on a main goal in Kevin Durant.
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Golden State tendered Kuminga a $7.9 million qualifying supply final week to make him a restricted free agent. The Warriors can match any supply that comes Kuminga’s manner, however the sign-and-trade route can be obtainable to them and might be a prudent transfer if they’re able to purchase veteran expertise in return. With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green as their core, the Warriors would stand to learn from one other confirmed and extra constant weapon to spherical out a contending lineup.
Kuminga has but to totally latch onto a dependable position for the Warriors regardless of his clear and tantalizing upside. He slipped out of the rotation final season till Curry’s damage pressured him again into the lineup, however he capitalized on that chance with a stellar end to the marketing campaign, averaging 24.3 factors per sport throughout the ultimate 4 contests of the second-round collection towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Untapped potential makes Kuminga a pretty sign-and-trade candidate. He’s nonetheless simply 22 and at occasions excelled within the early levels of his profession. The G League Ignite product is an athletic weapon who contributed to the Warriors’ NBA championship run in 2022 and took steps ahead within the years after, peaking from a manufacturing standpoint within the 2023-24 season when he averaged a career-best 16.1 factors, 4.8 rebounds and a pair of.2 assists.
If the appropriate supply doesn’t floor, the Warriors might hold Kuminga readily available into subsequent season and both transfer him at a later time or financial institution on him growing right into a extra dependable position participant or starter.