Over the summer, Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors were in a well-chronicled standoff, as the former lottery pick entered restricted free agency without a clear pathway to a contractual resolution. Eventually, the two sides did find a deal to bring back Kuminga on a two-year contract with a team option in the second (2026-27) season, but it took until late September and neither side seemed overjoyed by the endpoint.
As such, many have assumed that Kuminga would not be on the Warriors roster for very long after Jan. 15, which is the date in which he becomes trade-eligible once again. However, the latest reporting from Jake Fischer (via The Stein Line) paints a rather tepid picture of the Kuminga trade market.
Which teams are still in the mix for Kuminga?
For one thing, Kuminga is not proving himself on the court as of late. In fact, he isn't showing up on the court at all. The 23-year-old forward has appeared in only one game over the last five and a half weeks, and Kuminga has been a DNP in 12 consecutive contests. Over that time, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has been searching for effective combinations, sometimes deploying 12 or 13 players in a single game, but Kuminga has been effectively glued to the bench.
Moreover, some teams seem to be far less likely to pursue Kuminga due to changing circumstances. For example, the Phoenix Suns are one of the biggest success stories in the NBA with a 24-15 record, and Fischer reports that Phoenix "no longer covets Kuminga after its well-chronicled interest in the summertime." While Kuminga does have long-term upside, it is logical that Phoenix would not want to upset the apple cart with a risky in-season acquisition.
Elsewhere, the Washington Wizards were once a potential landing spot for Kuminga, but the Wizards already made a big in-season splash to land Trae Young from Atlanta. Also, one of the reported options for a Wizards-Warriors swap involved Corey Kispert, who moved to the Hawks in the Trae Young deal, and Fischer notes that "it's hard to see an outgoing package from the Wizards that could satisfy Golden State in its quest to find players who can help (Stephen) Curry win now."
Another potentially interested team is the Dallas Mavericks, but Fischer writes that any chatter there "mostly stemmed" from Golden State being interested in Anthony Davis. With Davis now out for a long period of time, it is logical that those talks would cool, if they had ever heated up in the first place.
Finally, the Los Angeles Lakers have what Fischer descripes as a "preference at this deadline to acquire a true 3-and-D wing with size" and Kuminga could fit that role to some degree. The shooting is a question, to be clear, and Kuminga does not seem to view himself that way, but Fischer's reporting points to Los Angeles continuing to "monitor Kuminga's situation."
As of now, the most likely suitor seems to be the Sacramento Kings. Of course, that is a familiar refrain for a lot of big-name potential trade targets, as the Kings are often referenced as a hypothetical landing spot for players without clear markets. However, Fischer writes that "Sacramento remains a confirmed suitor for Kuminga" and "would welcome the ability to land him before the Feb. 5 trade buzzer." However, Sacramento and Golden State have been talking for months, and Fischer notes the tacit understanding "that a third team would have to get involved to make such a deal possible."
All in all, there does not seem to be an imminent move for the Warriors, which could lead to a delay after the Jan. 15 "opening bell" that could last all the way through the deadline on Feb. 6 or longer. There are still some potential options, perhaps headlined by Sacramento, but the pool of teams clearly seems to be dwindling in comparison to only a few weeks ago. Beyond that, the situation does seem untenable for Kuminga with the Warriors, and things could get quite weird if he isn't traded sooner rather than later.