This Warriors-Nets trade would end headache for Golden State’s front office

The Golden State Warriors' offseason was quite the roller coaster for fans. On the whole, it was an undeniable success. De'Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson, and Buddy Hield are all positive-impact role players, while parting with Klay Thompson and all his baggage was addition by subtraction, as sacrilegious as that may sound.

That said, the Warriors' summer will be defined by what didn't happen. The Dubs reportedly placed calls on Paul George, Lauri Markkanen, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jimmy Butler, but couldn't push a single blockbuster trade over the finish line. Rather than elevating their standing in the West, the Dubs most trod water.

One of the primary hangups in at least some of those high-profile trade talks was the potential inclusion of former lottery pick Jonathan Kuminga, who broke through last season in an increased role. The Dubs decided against trading the athletic 22-year-old, but when it came time to hammer out a rookie-scale extension, neither side found common ground.

The belief is that Kuminga wanted a full five-year max, worth $224 million, which the Dubs were uncomfortable with. There's still plenty of time to get something done in restricted free agency next summer, but it's clear the Dubs don't value Kuminga as highly as he values himself.

If it comes to the point where Golden State doesn't feel confident about keeping Kuminga for a reasonable price next summer, the high-flying forward could end up on the trade block. A couple Eastern Conference teams are interested in Kuminga, per Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer. Among them is the Brooklyn Nets.

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This Warriors-Nets trade could mean Golden State doesn't have to overpay Jonathan Kuminga

It's tough to gauge Kuminga's value in his current contract limbo, but the Nets would acquire the former No. 7 overall pick with the intention of extending him and building around him. Kuminga has never been fully optimized in Golden State, in part because he's not the cleanest fit in Steve Kerr's system, and in part because Kerr has never fully embraced the G League Ignite product.

The Nets would essentially hand the reins to Kuminga and Cam Thomas, which isn't the best short-term plan, but it gives Brooklyn a couple chances at developing high-leverage scorers for the future. Kuminga could explode statistically with more opportunities to attack downhill and spearhead offensive possessions. He'd need to clean up his decision-making quite a bit, but Kuminga's straight-line speed, strength, and finishing touch are hard to come by in a 6-foot-7, hyper-athletic wing.

Kuminga is absolutely the best asset involved in this trade. The Warriors get an immediate replacement, however, in Dorian Finney-Smith, who still qualifies as one of the most effective wing defenders in the NBA. He's on a team-friendly contract for two years. The Dubs also get Dariq Whitehead, the 22nd pick in last year's NBA Draft, as a potential developmental pawn on the wing. It has been tough sledding for Whitehead in the pros, but there's enough there to be patient.

Two first-round picks from the Knicks, acquired as part of the Mikal Bridges trade, push the deal over the finish line. Considering how tightly Golden State clung to Kuminga with All-NBA talent on the line this summer, it's hard to imagine this trade going through for anything less. The Dubs won't part with Kuminga for cheap and the Nets are equipped with more than enough draft capital to "overspend" within reason, especially if that front office believes strongly in Kuminga's future. Gary Payton II is salary filler on an expiring contract, but also a nice veteran rotation cog for a young Nets team.

This trade fully ends Brooklyn's current tightrope act between mediocrity and outright tanking. Next on the docket, is finding a trade partner for Cam Johnson. As for Golden State, it adds future trade ammo while keeping an uncomfortably large Kuminga contract off the books moving forward.