The Golden State Warriors have been stuck in neutral all summer. Their offseason has revolved around one question. What to do with Jonathan Kuminga.
Rumors have tied the 22-year-old forward to both the Sacramento Kings and the Chicago Bulls. Sign-and-trade scenarios have been floated. Months later, nothing has materialized. Golden State’s roster remains incomplete.
Warriors’ Offseason on Hold
Getty Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Al Horford of the Boston Celtics.
Kuminga’s standoff has had ripple effects. The Warriors are expected to sign Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry once his situation is resolved. That expectation comes from Marc Stein. Until then, Golden State has been carrying just nine players.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. may have overplayed his hand by waiting too long on Kuminga’s market. Owner Joe Lacob even flew to Miami this summer to personally meet with Kuminga. Lacob has long been one of his strongest advocates, backing the former No. 7 overall pick to grow into an All-Star caliber player and a future franchise cornerstone. With training camp only weeks away, the stalemate is hard to ignore.
Golden State Floated in Buddy Hield Trade Scenario
Jason Timpf of The Volume said the Warriors should stop chasing a major return. He believes they should use Kuminga to pivot out of a bad contract.
“I think using Kuminga to substantially upgrade from Buddy Hield and get a protected first round pick back would be about as good as the Warriors can do with Kuminga,” Timpf said.
“The time to get (a) substantial asset return for him was years ago. That time has passed.”
In this framework, the Warriors would send Kuminga to Sacramento in a package for Malik Monk and a first-round pick. To make the money work, Golden State would need to dump either Moses Moody or Hield. Hield is set to make $21 million this season.
Hield had his ups and downs in his first season with the Warriors. His three-point shooting remains an elite skill. The veteran knocked down 42.9% from deep last year. He also delivered one of the highlights of Golden State’s season in Game 7 of the first round against the Houston Rockets. He erupted for 33 points and buried nine threes on 81.8% shooting from beyond the arc.
That makes the debate complicated. Timpf argues the Warriors should be willing to move on from Hield if it means landing Monk and a protected first-rounder. Monk is a former Sixth Man of the Year contender. He is also a more versatile player than Hield. But is he really worth the cost of both Kuminga and Hield in one deal?
Golden State could instead choose patience. They might re-sign Kuminga and keep Hield and Moody in the mix. The roster could be rounded out with expected free agents, giving the group a chance to prove itself. Another path is to hold onto Kuminga, hope his play boosts his value, and eventually package him in a larger blockbuster that reaffirms the Warriors as true contenders.
Clock Ticking on Warriors’ Decision
Time is not on Golden State’s side. The Warriors have spent the offseason on pause. The longer they wait, the fewer options they will have.
The front office faces a clear choice. Trade Kuminga for Monk and a pick. Attach him to dump Hield’s $21 million salary. Or run it back with Kuminga, Hield, and Moody, and see what this group can do once the free-agent signings are completed.
Either way, the clock is ticking.
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