Jonathan Kuminga has been on a rollercoaster ride with the Golden State Warriors. It seemed like there was a chance it'd come to an end over the summer in a sign-and-trade, but he and the organization agreed on a two-year, $48.5 million deal. You have to wonder if there is a part of him that wishes he had taken his qualifying offer instead, allowing him to choose his next team in free agency.
He is making $22.5 million this season, considerably more than his $7.9 million qualifying offer. The whole reason behind his current contract, though, was putting him on a tradable salary with a team option in the second season. Kuminga's trade value has tanked this season, as it's been almost a month since he last played. His market isn't what the Warriors hoped for, but what did they expect?
Jonathan Kuminga saga has only gotten messier for the Warriors
Kuminga is now eligible to be traded since it is Jan. 15, but, of course, that doesn't mean Golden State will trade him. Just in case, though, he requested a trade, per ESPN. The front office has exactly three weeks to try to work its magic and find an ideal trade partner, sending the Warriors a veteran rotation player. That will be easier said than done, as right now, the only teams that seem genuinely interested in the forward are the Kings and the Mavericks.
The silver lining for Kuminga is that he did seem interested in going to Sacramento, but there is no guarantee a trade will happen. Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line that Golden State still isn't interested in Malik Monk (subscription required). He said that both teams have been "resigned to the fact for some time that a third team would have to get involved to make such a deal possible."
There seems to be a chance that a trade may not happen before the deadline, although that isn't what the Warriors should want. Clearly, that isn't what Kuminga wants, either. He's had a good attitude about being out of Steve Kerr's rotation (again), but he wants to play. More than that, he wants to prove himself elsewhere.
If he does stick around, Golden State could pick up his $24.3 million team option this summer and try to trade him, but the front office will run into the same issues that it is now. It would be another drawn-out saga, which Kuminga should want to avoid, but he doesn't have control.