As the Golden State Warriors seek to improve their roster this offseason in order to maximize their support for their veteran core, their market seems to have stalled largely as a result of the lingering Jonathan Kuminga situation.
Yet, as the Warriors have been reportedly linked to veteran guards such as De'Anthony Melton and Bradley Beal, beloved guard Buddy Hield could become a potential piece involved in a Kuminga sign-and-trade very soon.
Hield, through one season in Golden State, made a major impact, sneaking into the starting lineup at times and providing perimeter shooting for a team that desperately needed it. However, with an affordable salary and a desirable skillset, it could become necessary to move on from the fan-favorite.
The Warriors might need an additional piece to complete a Kuminga sign-and-trade
Going into the offseason, the Warriors were certainly gauging interest from rival teams in Kuminga, who is a restricted free agent for the first time in his career.
Initially, it was reported that a number of teams, including the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans, had interest in bringing Kuminga in. However, as the offseason has worn on, and teams have reconsidered their understanding of Kuminga's potential, it seems as though Golden State is now stuck at a crossroads.
While the organization was initially seeking a young player and a first-round pick in exchange for Kuminga, the apparent coldness of the market could force them to pivot toward acquiring a more middling piece who could immediately impact the roster, albeit resulting in less of a splash move.
However, in order to do so, the Warriors would need to match the salary of whatever player they were to acquire, and, given the fact that Kuminga's salary can only count as half through a sign-and-trade, another player would likely need to be included.
Given Golden State's interest in Melton and Beal, who both would bring more dependable ball-handling skills to the team's backcourt, Hield could be the player that would make such a deal work.
Hield has two years and roughly $19 million remaining on his four-year deal he originally signed with Philadelphia 76ers. This would bring the combined annual salary for trade purposes between him and Kuminga, who is projected to get around $25 million a year, to a little over $20 million.
This could put them in the ballpark of re-acquiring a player such as Andrew Wiggins or even enable them to seek out a new star such as Trey Murphy III.
Therefore, while Hield has ingratiated himself exceedingly well over his season in The Bay, he could be on the move if surging rumors are true.