Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam could have been on his way to the Bay area by now if only the Golden State Warriors offer Jonathan Kuminga.
But the Warriors are reluctant to offer Jonathan Kuminga, according to Sportsnet Canada’s Michael Grange.
“Still, according to multiple sources, the Warriors are loathe to trade Kuminga, who is seen as a potential star who can help them win now and in the future, the rare piece on the roster who can help Golden State both support Steph Curry in the present and transition to a successful post-Curry future, should it ever come,” Grange wrote.
A window opened for the Warriors, whom TNT/Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported as a “dark horse” in the Siakam sweepstakes, after their Western Conference rival Sacramento Kings pulled out of the race, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Grange said Chris Paul’s expiring $30.8 million contract plus Kuminga’s $6 million salary is the perfect match for the $37.8 million Siakam is earning in the last year of his deal.
However, the scuttlebutt is that Kuminga has the powerful backing of the Warriors ownership which could also be a reason why he was not afraid of openly criticizing Steve Kerr.
“And a not insignificant detail is that Kuminga is said to have a very close relationship with Warriors owner Joe Lacob who has historically been reluctant to part with any of the young talent that represents the Warriors’ so-called ‘two-timelines’ strategy of meshing a group of young draftees with their established championship core,” Grange wrote.
Steve Kerr, Jonathan Kuminga Iron Things Out
Kerr and Kuminga met personally to clear the air after The Athletic reported that Kuminga had lost his faith in Kerr.
“I think it went really well,” Kuminga told The Athletic. “I think it was just all about better understanding of each other. More communication. We don’t really get to sit together as much and communicate about pretty much non-basketball things, basketball things. We don’t get to do that as much. Just us having that conversation today made me more comfortable that any time I have something to ask, I should just go up to his office. His door is open. Go up there and chill and wait for him to come back whenever.
“I think that’s what it’s all about, communication every single time if something is going wrong. Communication is the key.”
Kuminga sported a new hairdo and delivered 11 points and 6 rebounds in his 12th straight start. The 21-year-old forward took the toughest assignment of defending former no. 1 pick Cade Cunningham.
He finished with a game-high plus-16 for the Warriors, who leaned on Stephen Curry’s clutch 3-pointers to fend off the last-placed Detroit Pistons 113-109 on Friday, January 5, at Chase Center.
Warriors Lose Chris Paul to Serious Injury
The Warriors lost a potential trade chip in 38-year-old Chris Paul after the veteran guard fractured his left hand during Friday’s 113-109 win over the last-placed Detroit Pistons.
“That’s tough,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters of Paul’s untimely injury. “I feel so bad for Chris. I know he’s had a couple of hand surgeries before, I believe. Maybe it was on the other hand. So I’m holding it and instantly was worried. Just got the word after walking off the floor. I feel terrible for Chris and obviously, guys will step up and be ready to play. We’ve got to hold down the fort without him.”
It will be the fifth hand surgery for the 38-year-old Paul in his NBA career. The timetable for his return is still unknown.
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Warriors Reluctant to Trade Player Close to Joe Lacob for Pascal Siakam: Report