Warriors Trade Pitch Flips Rising Star if Team Can’t, Won’t Extend Him

The Golden State Warriors have multiple important players who are extension-eligible this summer, but not all of their priorities are equal.

General manager Mike Dunleavy spoke with media on Saturday, July 12, in Las Vegas at the start of Summer League. During that session, reporters asked him about possible new deals for Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, both of whom were lottery picks in the 2021 NBA draft, as well as Stephen Curry, who is eligible to sign a one-year extension worth $62.6 million that would keep him under contract through 2026-27.

“Dunleavy says he’d like to find extensions for Kuminga and Moody,” Kendra Andrews of ESPN reported. “As for Curry’s extension, that’s also a huge priority.”

Andrews went on to quote Dunleavy directly in the second portion of her X post.

“That guy can get whatever he wants,” Dunleavy said of Curry. “I think that stuff will get figured out and he’ll be a Warrior for life.”

ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Tim McMahon suggested via the July 11 edition of “The Lowe Post” podcast that Golden State either needs to commit to Kuminga by extending him and making him a fixture in the starting lineup next year, or trade him with relative immediacy.

“Remember at the end of last season, Kuminga — after starting and thriving — went back to a bench role,” Lowe said. “No matter what, I just think Kuminga has to start.”

McMahon agreed, citing issues Kuminga had last season with his lack of a regular presence in the starting lineup.

“I think you’ve either got to start him or aggressively look to move him,” McMahon responded. “It was a thing last year, and his camp made some noise.”

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Warriors Brass Admits Jonathan Kuminga Part of Trade Talks

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr appeared on the “Willard & Dibs” show on 97.5 The Game last week. During that appearance, Kerr admitted that the team has involved Kuminga in trade conversations.

“First of all, you have to understand, there’s very few players in the league who are not talked about in trade discussions,” Kerr said. “Steph Curry is not being discussed in trade talks. Everybody else is.”

Lowe referenced Kerr’s comments when further detailing the urgency around Golden State either committing longterm to Kuminga or moving him elsewhere to a team with which he can get a fresh start next season when he will be just 22 years old.

“This is going to come to a head soon,” Lowe said. “If they all meet in Vegas … and the message is, ‘Hey we’re going to go into training camp, it’s going to be Steve’s decision, maybe [Kuminga] comes off the bench, maybe he doesn’t.’ I just don’t think that can fly anymore. I think that could be a radioactive bomb.”

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Warriors Likely Must Include Either Podziemski, Kuminga in Trade for Markkanen

The most likely trade still on the table of which Kuminga might be a part involves former All-Star big man Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.

While that deal is liable to rely heavily on future first-round picks, of which Golden State has three (two unprotected) that it can part with, it is also likely the Jazz will want at least one young player who can be part of its core group moving forward.

McMahon said Thursday that “educated speculation” suggests that player is Brandin Podziemski, the second-year shooting guard who earned First-Team All-Rookie honors last year and supplanted Klay Thompson in the starting lineup alongside Curry for a time in 2023-24.

Lowe, however, suggested that Kuminga would be the potential prize player in any deal for Markkanen. Lowe added that he doesn’t believe Golden State should part with Kuminga and its best future draft assets as part of that trade.

“What is the deal for Markkanen that leaves enough in the cupboard?” Lowe asked. “I think Kuminga and a raft of picks is too much out the door for a team that probably isn’t good enough to win at a high level.”

Kuminga averaged career-highs in points (16.1), rebounds (4.8), assists (2.2), minutes (26.3), games played (74) and starts (46) last season, per Basketball Reference. He is entering the final season of his four-year rookie deal worth nearly $25 million total and is eligible for a five-year extension worth up to $224 million this summer.

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