The Golden State Warriors continue to receive strong performances from some of their youngest players. During the team’s latest win over the Kings, 22-year-old Jordan Poole scored 22 points, dropped four threes and was plus-19 on the court.
And since March 3 — a 17-game sample size — he has led the Dubs in scoring at 26.4 points per contest while shooting 49.7% from the field and 45% from long range.
Meanwhile, former No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Kuminga similarly took Golden 1 Center by storm. In 31 minutes off the bench for Golden State, the rookie put up 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting while adding five boards, four dimes, a steal and a blocked shot.
Although he started the season off at the back of the Warriors’ bench, Kuminga has been putting together games like this for a while now. Consequently, many would say that he’s the team’s most electrifying young prospect, as Poole has already established himself.
However, one hoops scribe just used another term — one far more surprising — to describe him.
B/R: Kuminga Is Trade Bait
In his list of NBA up-and-comers who could — and, in some cases, should — be shopped, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley mentioned Kuminga alongside the likes of Deandre Ayton, Tyler Herro and RJ Barrett.
As he sees it, the Warriors may have to alter their unprecedented, two-timeline approach in order to give Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors’ dynasty core a better opportunity to win while they still can. Especially in light of the team’s struggles since mid-February:
Golden State might need to think more about its present for Curry’s sake. If that’s the case, and if the right star shakes loose over the summer, then—and only then—it might make sense to at least take calls on Kuminga.
He can unlock a trade-target tier that James Wiseman and Moses Moody can’t access. Kuminga is on a different level, and if the right trade offer reflects that, the Warriors owe it to themselves (and to Curry) to consider it.
If the Warriors fall short of their championship goals this season, there may just be something to what Buckley is saying.
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Kuminga Bracing Himself for Playoff Battles
Whether or not the Warriors attempt to cash in on Kuminga and/or some of their other young guns for a battle-tested star remains to be seen. As it stands, he’s a big part of the Bay Area crew and performing as well as or better than anyone might have expected entering the campaign.
Over 67 appearances this season (including 12 starts), the 19-year-old has averaged 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest while shooting over 50% from the floor.
Once the postseason starts, though, things could get a lot tougher for the fledgling. It’s a fact that his cohorts are working double-time to drill home and Kuminga is taking their words to heart.
“The coaches, everybody, they always talk about it out of the blue,” Kuminga said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “So, you just have to listen. Especially when I get a chance to play in certain games with the speed against the good teams, I see it. After the game or at halftime, they’ll be talking about, ‘That’s how the playoffs are going to be. That’s the pressure. That’s how a lot of the crowds will be like.’
“As a young player, you’ve got to open your ears and just listen to what people are saying and learn from that. That’s basically what I have been doing pretty much.”
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Warriors’ Breakout Youngster Stamped With ‘Trade Bait’ Label