Warriors passed on Paul George trade for 1 boom-or-bust reason

Once the 2023-24 NBA season came to an end, Paul George's future was very much up in the air. The initial expectation was that he'd remain with the Los Angeles Clippers playing alongside the recently-extended Kawhi Leonard, but as free agency drew near, that appeared to be less likely by the passing day.

Once the Clippers released a statement saying that George's next contract would be with a new team, NBA fans were very curious as to where he'd go. George seemingly had a ton of possibilities.

He could have signed with a team that had the cap space to sign him like the Philadelphia 76ers or the Orlando Magic. He also could've orchestrated a sign-and-trade to join a team like the Golden State Warriors that didn't have the necessary cap space without shedding money.

While the Warriors were interested in acquiring George, ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne is reporting that they were unwilling to include former No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Kuminga in any deal. George is now a Sixer, and Golden State's unwillingness to trade Kuminga could be something that they either really regret or are really proud of in the future.

Warriors had one risky reason for passing on Paul George trade

Here is what Shelbourne had to say about the Warriors stepping away from the table for George.

"The Warriors offered multiple combinations of expiring contracts, young players and an unprotected 2027 first-round pick, sources said. The Clippers countered by asking for prized youngster Jonathan Kuminga, sources said. The Warriors resisted because Kuminga is so important to their own future, sources said, but also because they worried George wouldn't be as interested in joining them if they gave up too much to get him."

The Warriors refused to include Kuminga for a couple of reasons. First, he's only 21 years old, and is an important part of their team now and in the future. Second, they didn't even know if George would be willing to go to Golden State if they parted with a talent like Kuminga.

Golden State, for better or for worse, appears to be hedging its future on Kuminga and his development. On their end, it's not hard to see why.

Kuminga broke out last season, averaging 16.1 points per game to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while averaging just 26.3 minutes per contest. He found his way into the starting lineup more than he ever had, starting 46 of the 74 games he appeared in, and he looked like a potential star in the right situation at several different times.

Kuminga obviously has high potential considering he just averaged over 16 points per game as a 21-year-old without even starting regularly, but he's not Paul George. With Stephen Curry about to play in his age 36 season, the time for Golden State to win another championship with him leading the way is right now.

The Warriors might be better equipped to win down the road with Kuminga, but what will Curry be when Kuminga is in his prime? Will Curry even be on the roster? If Kuminga becomes an All-Star-caliber player within the next year or two perhaps the Warriors can find a way to win at a high level again, but if not, where is their ceiling realistically without many other intriguing assets to trade?

Balancing now and the future is hard, but the Warriors have one of the five or ten best players in the NBA on their roster right now, and not much support around him. They could've traded Kuminga for a bonafide No. 2 in George and potentially competed for a championship. They're better equipped for the future, but if Kuminga doesn't develop into a star, they might regret passing on this trade.