Jonathan Kuminga has now missed the last six games due to a severe ankle sprain suffered earlier in the month, with the Golden State Warriors going 2-4 record while possessing the league's 26th-ranked offense during this period.
The ankle injury came at an incredibly inopportune time for both Kuminga and the franchise, having averaged almost 25 points and eight rebounds during the previous six games in a solidified sixth man role playing heavy minutes off the bench.
Jonathan Kuminga could hold leverage over the Warriors in free agency
From a front office perspective, Kuminga's injury put a dent in his value as a potential trade candidate ahead of the February 6 deadline. It is also likely to make it slightly more difficult to trade him given the ankle issue could well keep him out till beyond the deadline.
That's not likely to matter anyway given the bigger factor of there being little-to-no trade targets seemingly available that Golden State will be willing to trade Kuminga for. As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported on Thursday, the 22-year-old "remains a player Golden State is reluctant to part with."
If the Warriors retain Kuminga beyond the deadline, then they'll have to prepare for his status as a restricted free agent in the offseason. Surely Golden State, having had numerous opportunities to trade the young forward during his time with the franchise, couldn't let Kuminga walk to another team for nothing?
That's the problem the Warriors now face -- if they don't trade him by February 6, they've essentially backed themselves into a situation where they must recommit to him on a significant, long-term contract extension in the offseason.
This will give Kuminga leverage, so long as he can find a team (the Brooklyn Nets most likely) that will provide an offer sheet that forces Golden State to match. The Warriors will have to hope that said offer sheet isn't forthcoming, or that they can convince Kuminga to accept a more team-friendly deal before it reaches that point.
There are plenty of analysts and fans that are rightly nervous about the Warriors paying Kuminga over $30 million per year, but what's the alternative? Perhaps a sign-and-trade could be worked out, yet usually the team losing the player never sees anywhere near fair value in return.
One thing is for certain -- the Warriors aren't going to let Kuminga walk after all the time and effort they've invested into him. That gives the former seventh overall pick leverage in the offseason, and makes for an intriguing period now before the deadline.