Jonathan Kuminga's future has again been a storyline this offseason, though less so about a possible trade and more so about a potential contract extension as the 21-year-old prepares for his fourth year in the league.
A strong second half of last season has catapulted Kuminga's value to the point where, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the young forward may want a max extension worth $224 million over five years.
Jonathan Kuminga could be a trade target for a number of teams should he and the Golden State Warriors fail to reach a contract extension
It's unlikely that the Warriors will be willing to offer the full max at this stage, leaving the possibility that Kuminga becomes a restricted free agent next offseason should a deal not be reached by October 21.
While it's still unlikely to eventuate, no extension would open up a greater possibility of a trade, particularly if there's any sense of animosity amid the contract discussions. Again, there's no sense of that whatsoever, but it is a delicate situation where Golden State have to balance Kuminga's current output with his future potential.
If trade speculation did re-emerge prior to the February 6 deadline, there's no doubt that a number of teams would have interest in Kuminga even despite the impending contract. In a recent article 'Imagining Every NBA Team's Top 3 Trade Targets', Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report identified the former seventh overall pick as a lead candidate for the Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards.
There's a clear classification there -- young, rebuilding teams who have the ability to take a risk on Kuminga reaching his incredibly high upside. Would those teams have assets the Warriors would want in return? They do but any deal would be difficult from a salary-matching perspective given Kuminga will only make $7.6 million next season.
While Steve Kerr's use of the talented forward may have suggested otherwise over the last two seasons, the Warriors have always appeared eager to keep Kuminga to see if he can fulfil his potential in the Bay. With the likelihood of the high-flyer being the team's second-leading scorer next season, his security at the franchise looks stronger than ever.