The Dallas Mavericks continue to emerge as a surprise suitor for Jonathan Kuminga, potentially gifting the Golden State Warriors an astonishing exit strategy from the embattled young forward.
According to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, the Mavericks have interest in Kuminga as a key piece in an Anthony Davis trade. However, there remains an obvious obstacle between the Warriors and acquiring Davis, with both Afseth and The Athletic's Sam Amick reporting on their disinterest in trading either Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green.
Mavericks offering Warriors a surprise way out from Jonathan Kuminga
The fact the Warriors could seemingly put Kuminga in a trade for a player of Davis' stature is what they would have envisioned when they re-signed him during the offseason, and almost seems fanciful now given the 23-year-old has been out of Steve Kerr's rotation for 10 of the past 11 games.
Yet it also goes to show the lack of interest in Davis, largely stemming from the combination of his contract and injury history which has seen him play only 26 games since arriving in Dallas nearly 12 months ago.
"Any direct trade sending Davis to the Warriors would require either Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green to be included to satisfy salary-matching rules, complicating the pathway to a workable agreement. While most structures are not considered clean, sources maintain it is not impossible," Afseth wrote.
If a trade didn't require Green or Butler, Golden State would likely take the risk on Davis given their own underwhelming start to the season at an 18-17 record. Now all eyes should be on whether their stance, particularly on a franchise legend in Green, changes between now and the February 5 trade deadline.
But even if the Warriors bypass the Davis option because of their stance on Green and Butler, the Mavericks interest in Kuminga could still offer a surprisingly fruitful way out from the former seventh overall pick.
Perhaps another veteran member of the Dallas roster (Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford) could be of interest to Golden State, or maybe there's a possible multi-team trade that lands Davis elsewhere and brings another player/s to the Bay Area.
Either way, the Mavericks interest is a notable development that strengthens a Kuminga market that is seemingly there to some degree despite the Warriors not utilizing a player making $22.5 million this season.
The Sacramento Kings still hold interest in a trade for Kuminga, but where exactly he ends up may still be determined by who the Warriors are targeting themselves before the deadline.