The Golden State Warriors are still looking to get restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga back on a two or three-year contract that they can then look to move once the young forward becomes eligible mid-season.
The Warriors know it, Kuminga's camp know it, and the entire NBA know it. What's much more of an unknown is what the Warriors could trade Kuminga for, yet previous reporting also tells us what the franchise's ideal outcome would be.
Warriors are setting up a play for Giannis Antetokounmpo or LeBron James
During his report on Kuminga last week, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points identified both Antetokounmpo and James as the two 'dream targets' that Golden State could chase using Kuminga as an asset in any potential trade.
"This idea of the Warriors wanting to trade Kuminga after bringing him back on a new deal has been prevalent and has continued to lead to speculation of who the franchise would target," Siegel wrote. "Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James are obviously the Warriors' two dream targets, yet other names have been reported as well."
The problem for the Warriors is that even if Kuminga does eventually agree on a contract between $20-25 million per year, putting him in a trade gets them less than halfway to the over $50 million that each of Antetokounmpo and James make.
If one of them were to become available and Golden State had an offer that included Kuminga, it would almost definitely have to include franchise legend Draymond Green as well. The Warriors would also have the likes of Buddy Hield and Moses Moody who equate to just under $20 million combined.
Let's for a second assume that Golden State could make a deal work for whichever player. Then they'd be left with three players making over $50 million each -- when has that sort of roster construction ever worked in recent years?
With the restrictive nature of the first and second tax aprons, teams aren't or shouldn't be willing to put themselves in such a position. Those that have (Phoenix Suns) have seen it backfire terribly, while a team like the Boston Celtics has torn it down once their payroll became too exorbitant and Jayson Tatum went down with injury.
Having three players making over $50 million would lead the Warriors into disaster. Perhaps they'd pray that James takes a pay cut next offseason as a free agent, but what if he just leaves to a new team after a few months? Then you've just given up Kuminga, Green etc. for a short-term rental.
The fact is that if Golden State want to trade for James or Antetokounmpo, then it's got nothing to do with Kuminga and far more to do with whether they're willing to relinquish Jimmy Butler. As for Kuminga, the Warriors should narrow their scope to players making less than $35 million once he becomes trade eligible.