It seems like Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is no longer beating around the bush: Jonathan Kuminga is almost certainly going to be on the move once he is eligible to be traded on January 15th.
Kuminga saw his first DNP of the season against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, and now Kerr's latest comments suggests the young forward will be on his way out before the mid-season deadline.
Steve Kerr's comments basically seal a Jonathan Kuminga trade
"I can imagine it’s not easy for him," Kerr said when asked about the constant speculation around Kuminga. "And we’ve talked about the situation. My desire for JK is to become the best player he can possibly be, regardless of where he ends up, whether it’s here or elsewhere.”
The fact that Kerr is so openly talking about Kuminga being with another team signals that he has already accepted that a split is on the cards. The 23-year-old's recent DNP -- where the Warriors were already playing without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green -- was a pretty obvious signal that Kerr thinks his team are better without Kuminga on the floor.
To Kuminga's credit, he has said all the right things and has not made a spectacle of his lack of playing time of late. There are plenty of young NBA players who would be kicking and screaming in the same situation, so at the very least he's not intentionally become a distraction for the team.
Now the question becomes when the Warriors will trade him and what the front office can possibly get in return?
One could argue that Kerr's comments are not great for Kuminga's trade value, but the lack of playing time is obvious for all to see. Even if Kerr lied and said he still thinks Kuminga can be a big part of Golden State's future, other NBA teams aren't stupid and can clearly see what's going on.
There will be no shortage of ideas when it comes to Kuminga trades, and general manager Mike Dunleavy has his work cut out for him to maximize whatever he will be able to get in a deal.
The Warriors can at least point to play Kuminga has produced in the past -- like his solid play in the playoffs last season against the Minnesota Timberwolves while Stephen Curry was injured -- to show that he can be a solid player when given the chance.
Things have been trending this direction for a while now, but Kerr's latest comments really show that he is openly acknowledging the best thing for all parties is an imminent split.