Steve Kerr confirms rising star's involvement in Warriors trade talks

After previously being viewed as untouchable dating back to the February mid-season trade deadline, it appears the Golden State Warriors are willing to listen to trade talks involving rising star Jonathan Kuminga.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported in May that Kuminga was "not at all" on the trade block after a breakout period over the second half of last season. However, Steve Kerr has seemingly refuted the idea that the former seventh overall pick is untouchable.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has all but confirmed that Jonathan Kuminga is part of trade discussions this offseason

Speaking to 95.7 The Game's Willard and Dibs on Wednesday, Kerr was asked whether Kuminga was a part of trade talks with rival teams. The 4x championship-winning coach took a broader response, stating that everyone on the Golden State roster, outside Stephen Curry, is part of those discussions.

"There's very few players in the league who are not talked about in trade discussions. Steph Curry is not being discussed in trade talks. Everybody else is."

- Steve Kerr

This is absolutely the right approach to take, albeit the blatant acknowledgment may take some by surprise. This doesn't mean that the Warriors won't place an incredibly high value on Kuminga, ensuring they keep him barring a significant asset/s in return.

Speculation is currently rife on whether Golden State would be willing to include Kuminga, their best and most talented young player, in a deal for Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. The Warriors are reportedly waiting to see what the Jazz ultimately wish to do with their 2023 All-Star, having previously missed out on 9x All-Star Paul George prior to free agency.

Amid an inconsistent role and playing opportunity, Kuminga's future has been a source of conjecture regularly over the past couple of years. Things hit a tipping point in early January when the 21-year-old voiced his frustration of Kerr to the media, yet it turned into a major positive as the head coach heeded the call of placing greater trust in his talented forward.

Kuminga would go on to become the team's second go to scorer over the final months of the season, and also put his name in the conversation for the league's Most Improved Player award. A minor injury dented his progress late in the piece, leaving his role and future still uncertain heading into next season.