With the February 6 NBA trade deadline looming, the Warriors are expected to be one of the most aggressive teams on the market. After starting the 2024-25 season with a 12-3 record, the Warriors fell to 21-21 following their 40-point home loss to the Celtics on January 20.
Meanwhile, the Nets fell to 14-29 with a 26-point loss to the Thunder, further falling in the standings in the Eastern Conference. Unlike the Warriors, the Nets are expected to be sellers in the trade market, shopping players like Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas ahead of the deadline after moving Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder earlier in the season.
As such, Sporting News’ Caleb Hightower predicted a Warriors trade that would see the Warriors acquire Johnson from the Nets.
Nets would receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, Gui Santos, 2027 Top-3 Protected First-Round Pick (GSW)
Warriors would receive: Cameron Johnson, Day’Ron Sharpe
Cam Johnson, The Missing Piece?
Johnson, a prototypical 3-and-D player, would be a plug-and-play fit on any team, but the Warriors may need him more than any other contender. With neither Kuminga nor Moses Moody making the leap the Warriors hoped, and Andrew Wiggins no longer playing at an All-Star level, Steve Kerr’s team could use a player like Johnson.
Another analyst argued that the abovementioned trade would be a win-win scenario for the Nets and Warriors.
“The Brooklyn Nets are trying to build a foundation but lack the athleticism and versatility that Jonathan Kuminga brings,” wrote Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar. “The former lottery pick has shown flashes of brilliance with his defensive prowess and ability to score in transition, averaging 16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds this season.
“Golden State, on the other hand, lands a sharpshooter in Cameron Johnson, who is hitting 40.3% of his threes this year, and Sharpe, a young big with untapped potential. The trade gives the Nets a high-upside forward to continue their rebuild because they will be very hungry to cash in on Cameron Johnson as soon as possible.”
Warriors Advised Against ‘Desperate Move’
Johnson is averaging career-highs in points (19.5), assists (3.0), 3PM (3.2) and FG% (.500) in his sixth season in the NBA.
Although the idea of trading Kuminga for Johnson doesn’t seem like a high-risk move, many analysts and former players have urged the Warriors against shipping out the fourth-year Congolese forward.
On the January 20 episode of “Inside the NBA” on TNT, Kenny Smith advised the Warriors to hit the reset button and building around its young core.
“They should go young, through the draft, through trade” 👀
Kenny gives his take on where the Warriors should go from here 🗣️
Smith’s comments echoed the sentiments of Warriors franchise star Stephen Curry, who urged his front office against “a desperate move” just for the sake of it.
“Desperate trades or desperate moves that deplete the future, there is a responsibility on allowing or keeping the franchise in a good space and good spot when it comes to where we leave this thing when we’re done,” Curry said on January 13.
“[It] Doesn’t mean that you’re not trying to get better. It doesn’t mean that you’re not active in any type of search to, if you have an opportunity where a trade makes sense or even in the summer free agency [move] makes sense. You want to continue to get better.”
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Warriors Predicted to Trade Jonathan Kuminga for Veteran Wing