As the Golden State Warriors have attempted to come to terms on a contract with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, it seems as though many of the suitors for a potential sign-and-trade have slowly fallen away.
Yet, with recent rumors that the team could be interested in trading for Josh Giddey, the potential of a trade this offseason or even during this next regular season has been revived, and, according to a mock trade published by Sports Illustrated, the organization could receive a hefty haul from the Utah Jazz in a potential deal.
Moreover, as the regular season comes closer and closer, the Warriors could be further incentivized to make a deal happen by the clearly deteriorating relationship between Kuminga and their front office, making a sign-and-trade a suitable option to resolve their lingering drama.
The Warriors could fulfill their wish with an unlikely trade partner
Throughout all Kuminga trade talks this offseason, Golden State has held fast to their desire to bring in a young player as well as an unprotected first-round pick in exchange for the dynamic young forward.
Yet, the team has also made clear that they are seeking out players this offseason who both could immediately make an impact in head coach Steve Kerr's rotation and have been historically reliable on both ends of the floor.
Therefore this mock trade proposed by Sports Illustrated's Thomas Carelli, which features Georges Niang and two unprotected first-round picks coming back to the Warriors in exchange for Kuminga, could become a realistic scenario as the team becomes more desperate to compete next season.
Niang was an important bench piece last season on both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 12.1 points, three rebounds and 1.6 assists in just 23 minutes per game.
On the Warriors, Niang could immediately become a dependable piece in the frontcourt, helping to offset some of the minutes where Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green will be on the bench and further solidifying the team's staunch defensive front.
Moreover, the Jazz have an astounding eight first-round picks in the next four drafts, making them more apt to potentially move two of them (one of their own and one acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves) in order to bring in a young player of Kuminga's caliber.
Therefore, while it seems as though Golden State is set on retaining Kuminga this offseason, it is not out of the question that they would accept a deal of this magnitude if the contractual drama continues to hamper their offseason.