Former Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga remains in limbo nearly six weeks through free agency, and his path to landing with the Cleveland Cavaliers almost certainly relies on the franchise dumping one of his former teammates.
The Cavaliers have sat alongside the Los Angeles Lakers as leading suitors for Kuminga, but their plan to acquire the 23-year-old is heavily based on finding a new home for another former Warrior in Dennis Schroder.
Cavaliers need to dump Dennis Schroder to acquire Jonathan Kuminga
Schroder arrived in Cleveland along with the now departed Keon Ellis in a trade that landed De'Andre Hunter in Sacramento, but it appears the franchise is now also looking to move on from the German guard only six months after acquiring him.
According to Cavaliers insider Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the front office is looking to move off Schroder in order to increase flexibility to go after Kuminga or Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson.
"Sources tell cleveland.com the Cavs continue to discuss various trade packages involving Schroder, seeing if there is an opportunity to slightly reconfigure the roster or gain financial flexibility, which would help their pursuit of free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson," Fedor wrote.
Cleveland have a hole in their forward rotation that Kuminga could fill, having joined Golden State in missing out on their pursuit of LeBron James. Kuminga has a relationship with former Warrior assistant and now Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, but has to remain patient for a sign-and-trade that would deliver the former seventh overall pick the kind of near $20 million per year contract he desires.
Cavs ready to move on Dennis Schroder almost as quick as Warriors
Cleveland may look to move on Schroder regardless of their Kuminga pursuit, with the 32-year-old still owed over $30 million across the next two seasons after signing a player-friendly three-year deal with the Kings last summer.
The desire to trade Schroder still doesn't come as quickly as the Warriors reached that point. Golden State dealt the veteran guard in the Jimmy Butler trade at the 2025 mid-season deadline, with that coming less than two months and only 24 games after he was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets.
After playing nine games together as teammates at the Warriors, the futures of Kuminga and Schroder are now inextricably linked as the Cavaliers look to round out their roster following a Conference Finals exit last season.
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