Hall of Famer Reggie Miller feels the Golden State Warriors should pull the trigger on a Jonathan Kuminga trade that would fetch them six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan from the Sacramento Kings.
“I like the DeMar DeRozan move,” Miller told “The Dan Patrick Show” while analyzing how the Warriors could recover from Jimmy Butler’s season-ending injury.
“Again, another older player, but a proven player and a proven scorer,” Miller said of DeRozan. “But what do you give up? I know Sacramento has, all along, wanted Jonathan Kuminga… Something has to happen.”
Miller strongly ruled out the possibility of Warriors head coach Steve Kerr re-inserting Kuminga into the starting unit to take Butler’s place.
“I’m not going for that if I’m Kuminga,” Miller said, while citing the Congolese forward being hit with nine straight DNPs before returning to the rotation earlier this week.
Warriors Trade Target: DeRozan?
Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Warriors, hard-capped at the first apron, would need to include another player in the Kuminga trade package to acquire DeRozan’s $24.7M salary. That additional salary could come in the form of Buddy Hield or Moses Moody.
The move will likely not improve Golden State’s chances of making a deep playoff run, but it could be a decent stopgap arrangement until Butler’s return next year. The chatter of a potential Warriors trade for DeRozan began after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that the Warriors were exploring various options to fill the void left by Butler, who sustained a season-ending ACL injury on MLK Day.
“The focus is squarely on Jonathan Kuminga,” Charania said. “Do you try to find a deal in the marketplace that can help the Warrors compete without Jimmy Butler?”
“…Does a player, say DeMar DeRozan, does that fit the bill of what the Warriors could need without Jimmy Butler? But one way or another, the Warriors are about to find out where they stand with Jonathan Kuminga this season.”
Warriors Face Uncertain Future
Regardless of what transpires ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, the Warriors face a very uncertain future entering the 2026-27 season. For one, their longtime head coach could be done after this season, with The Ringer’s Logan Murdock reporting that Kerr’s Warriors assistant coaches don’t expect him to return next year.
Furthermore, Draymond Green has a player option for the 2026-27 season and could potentially be on the outs unless he secures a new extension. Also, Stephen Curry, who turns 38 in March, could be entering the final year of his storied Warriors career. The same applies to Butler, who is signed through only the 2026-27 season.
Some league insiders view the 2026-27 season as the “last dance” for the Curry-led iteration of the Warriors that has captured four NBA titles since 2015. The Warriors could be armed with over $100M in cap space in 2027, when the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Donovan Mitchell, Kar-Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis are all expected to become free agents.
Reggie Miller Endorses Blockbuster Warriors Trade Involving Kuminga