If the Golden State Warriors truly have a chance to flip Jonathan Kuminga for Devin Carter and a pair of second-round picks, they should not hesitate for a second. With the Warriors at a crossroads, they're going to need pieces who can fit their mission of winning one more championship with Stephen Curry at the helm.
The Sacramento Kings' Devin Carter is one guy who may fit that description. He's a disruptive player who has a high motor, and his shooting continues to improve.
Sam Vecenie, a well-respected draft analyst, made the case on his podcast recently. He believes that if you're the Warriors, you should consider taking back Carter and a couple of second-round picks in exchange for Kuminga. There's rumored to be quite a bit of interest around the NBA in Kuminga, and this would be far from the worst return Golden State could hope to get.
The reality is that we're living in the twilight of Stephen Curry's career, a scary thought for many Warriors fans to hear. If this organization is going to squeeze one more deep playoff run and potentially a championship run out of Curry and Jimmy Butler, they're going to need more players like Carter.
Devin Carter would be a good fit for Golden State
He's the kind of player Golden State always used to thrive with. A hard-nosed guard who cuts without the ball, competes defensively and hits open shots. Carter does not need a dozen touches to make an impact, he just plays the right way.
Kuminga, for all his talent, still does not project as a high-level off-ball contributor. He is best with the ball in his hands, freelancing and creating looks off instinct. That may work better somewhere else, but it is not what the Warriors need right now.
Would two second-rounders be enough of a sweetener? That depends on who you ask. But the Warriors need to be honest about where they stand. They are not in position to wait on a Kuminga breakout that doesn't look super likely to happen at this point, if we're being honest. They are in position to retool around what Curry can still do, and that requires clarity, not potential.
Even just a year into his career, we know what brand of basketball Carter brings to the equation. If this deal is truly on the table, Golden State should not overthink it. Sometimes the best trades are the ones that make the most sense the fastest.
The Warriors don't need to wait around to deal Kuminga. If they're planning on going in that direction anyway, something like this gets the job done.