Golden State Warriors’ youngster Jonathan Kuminga could be on the trade block ahead of next week’s NBA Draft, with the franchise interested in acquiring a high pick according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
After a slow start where he was in-and-out of Steve Kerr’s rotation, Kuminga had an impressive regular season where he displayed his two-way potential. The athletic second-year forward averaged over 20 minutes per game, often taking big defensive assignments against the best players around the league.
The Golden State Warriors may look to deal Jonathan Kuminga for a top ten pick in this year’s draft, but which teams could be interested in making it happen?
Kuminga’s form failed to translate through to the postseason, though it wasn’t helped by an apparent and disappointing lack of faith from Kerr. Having been axed from the rotation following Game 3 of the first-round series against the Sacramento Kings, Kuminga’s future at the franchise is now in question heading into the offseason.
Trade speculation surrounding the youngster isn’t uncommon, with the Warriors’ two-timeline plan a point of contention that often procures conversations regarding win-now trades. However, the idea of moving on from Kuminga for a younger,even more unproven prospect is a thought few would have considered.
There are some viable reasons the Warriors may be targeting a top ten pick for Kuminga, but the next question is whether he’d actually hold enough league-wide value for Golden State to gain a selection in that range.
Taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, it’s hard to envisage Kuminga alone returning the Warriors similar kind of value. This is where the franchise’s first-round pick, or another asset, could come into play.
Let’s look at two teams that could hold significant interest in Kuminga, potentially providing him the kind of playing opportunity to fulfil his potential. Both hold top ten selections but could also explore other avenues with the Warriors in trade discussions.