Ranking 7 Warriors from least to most likely to be traded to shed salary
By Tyler Watts
4. Jonathan Kuminga
It is time to put the two timelines process in the trash. The Warriors should push their chips into the middle for a final three-year run with Stephen Curry. They will struggle to add talent and get under the second tax apron until the two-time MVP retires, so why not try to bring another championship or two to the Bay Area in the process?
Kuminga had an up-and-down second NBA season that saw him average 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 20.8 minutes per game during the regular season. The 6’8 forward struggled to crack the rotation in the playoffs, which leaves his future with the Dubs somewhat in doubt.
He is set to make $6.0 million next season with a $7.6 million club option for the 2024-25 season before Kuminga becomes a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025. Keeping him beyond that could mean dishing out a significant raise to the 6’8 forward, which the Golden State Warriors certainly cannot do.
Could they try to cash in on his potential and trade him for a future draft pick to lighten their financial burden slightly? Jonathan Kuminga still has plenty of potential, but where does he fit moving forward? Can the Warriors find a significant role for him in the regular and postseason? If not, now is the time to move on.
Expect the Dubs to keep Jonathan Kuminga because of his salary. They will likely look to deal away players making more money to get their finances in order, which could open up more playing time for the 20-year-old wing.