It's starting to feel inevitable that the Golden State Warriors are going to trade Jonathan Kuminga before the deadline in February, and they may have an ideal trade partner in a team they just routed in the Chicago Bulls.
Kuminga’s saga with the Warriors has been ongoing for some time. His contract talks over the summer got messy and drawn out, and it always seemed like a very real possibility that he could get dealt at some point this season.
Warriors should rid themselves of Jonathan Kuminga by trading him to desperate Bulls
After Kuminga’s strong start to the season, it seemed briefly like perhaps the marriage could work out after all. The Warriors got off to a 4-1 start and Kuminga looked really solid in a starting role, seeing the floor well and making the right decisions with the ball in his hands.
That nice start seems to have been nothing more than a mirage now. Kuminga’s play has since declined and he's missed a number of games due to knee issues. Eventually he came back after a seven-game absence, but he hasn't been able to find his best form since returning.
Instead, other players have stepped up like Pat Spencer, Gui Santos and De’Anthony Melton. They would have been seen as unlikely contributors at the start of the season, but they have taken advantage of their playing time and helped lead the Warriors to impressive victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls despite the absence of Stephen Curry.
Perhaps the low of Kuminga’s season came in Chicago as he did not play at all due to a coach’s decision. We will see if Kuminga plays much going forward, but it certainly seems like the writing is on the wall.
The Warriors just got to see how much of a mess the Bulls are after routing them 123-91. Chicago has lost seven straight and has a record of 9-14 after winning the first five games of the season. The Bulls are clearly in a rebuilding phase and are trying to find some sort of spark, which is why a young player like Kuminga could make sense for them.
Kuminga is still just 23-years-old and clearly still has the potential that could interest several teams. Chicago needs an exciting young player it can build around, so Kuminga could definitely fit the bill alongside point guard Josh Giddey.
What could the Warriors get in return though? Maybe Chicago would be willing to part with veteran center Nikola Vucevic. The 35-year-old is wasting away on a bad team and even though his numbers are down this season, maybe the Warriors could see if he still has something left in the tank given veteran center Al Horford has had a rough start to the season.
It seems clear that the time has come to move on from Kuminga, so when January 15th hits and the Warriors are able to trade him, perhaps the Bulls would make sense as a logical destination.