The Golden State Warriors had the chance to send Jonathan Kuminga on his way and get a great return. They opted to hold onto Kuminga and then he got hurt. That thwarted their move to flip him and changed their approach this offseason.
I think Kuminga could eventually find a role with this Warriors team, but right now it’s clear he wants a bigger role. Steve Kerr isn’t ready to offer that right now, which is why Kuminga is most likely going to be involved in either a sign-and-trade deal or become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
If the latter happens, I’m sure the Warriors will be kicking themselves for not making a move sooner. They were able to get Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline, but did they maximize the trade deadline like they could have?
Let’s examine some trades that were rumored before the trade deadline. Which ones should the Warriors have entertained that would have helped them avoid their unique offseason approach with Kuminga?
3. Brooklyn Nets
I think this one will sting for a couple of reasons. The Warriors were able to anchor down their defense with Jimmy Butler and get a certified scorer. But imagine if they put together a package to get Cameron Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets.
The Warriors practically invented the 3-point hungry offense NBA teams feast on nowadays. Johnson falls right into that category as a prolific shooter. Sure he’s a bit of a liability when it comes to defense. But he’s a sixth/seventh player off the bench that can ignite the offense.
He could run with Buddy Hield and even Jimmy Butler in a lineup and add depth, certainly for the playoffs, could have been a massive benefit. That said, this is probably a move they are fine without making. This would have simply bolstered their squad.
The Nets are probably interested in investing in younger players with a lot of upside so I could see why they’d be very interested in making this happen. It’s still not out of the question this offseason.
2. Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia needs a lot of help right now. Joel Embiid is close to medically retiring at this point, Paul George hasn’t been healthy either and Tyrese Maxey needs a true running mate that will actually be available on game days.
Maxey and Kuminga could be a solid combo to work with moving forward if Golden State would have pulled the trigger. The most realistic player involved in the trade would be George, though I doubt Golden State would have wanted that contract.
In playing matchmaker, though, this would get the Warriors a two-way vet that would add some depth while also giving the 76ers a future young star. Philadelphia is far away from the “trust the process” squad that never made it to an Eastern conference finals.
That’s why it’s time for the 76ers to start thinking about the future and what they’re going to do to get back to being competitive in the East. I’m not saying Kuminga is the final answer, but he’s certainly a step in the right direction.
Things have collapsed when it’s come to Embiid and building around him. That’s a lost cause. Now it’s time to look at the next phase and Kuminga could end up being their target seeing as they were interested before the trade deadline.
1. Chicago Bulls
Before Jimmy Butler came into the fold, Zach LaVine could have been a prime acquisition for the Warriors in a possible deal with the Chicago Bulls. While his defense isn’t nearly as good as Butler’s, he would have been a prime scorer for this team and perfect second option.
I think the Warriors would be happy with Butler, but LaVine is a bit younger and could have stuck around after the Draymond Green and Steph Curry era concluded. Not that the Warriors would go out of their way to build around LaVine, but he could have been serviceable.
This probably won’t be revisited as the Bulls have parted ways with LaVine, but the Sacramento Kings could be in the mix for Kuminga. It’s reported that Domantas Sabonis could be out the door this offseason.
If he is, they’ll have a void in the frontcourt. Sure, Kuminga is closer to a wing player than a true interior threat, but he’s a great piece to build around. The Kings have a logjam on the wing with Malik Monk, DeMar DeRozan and LaVine.
One of them probably won’t finish next season in Sacramento and they may not even start the year there if the Kings are interested in a sign-and-trade deal.