Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga’s future in the Bay Area has become the NBA’s latest trade storyline, with media speculation, insider reporting, and growing frustration behind the scenes pointing toward an impending move.
The loudest prediction yet came from The Ringer founder Bill Simmons, who declared on his podcast that Kuminga will be gone immediately after his trade restriction lifts on Jan. 15.
“January 16, he won’t be on the team,” Simmons said. “It’s just my guess.”
Simmons joked about making a documentary titled “The Two Weeks When Jonathan Kuminga Finally Found a Home in Golden State,” referring to the brief stretch in which the former lottery pick looked poised for a breakout.
NBA Insider: Warriors Expected to Shop Kuminga After Jan. 15
Getty Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors is expected to be traded.
Simmons’ take aligns with a report from veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, who wrote that multiple rival teams already assume Kuminga will be available.
“Anticipation grows… that Kuminga will be dealt before the Feb. 5 deadline,” Stein wrote, calling the possibility “inevitable.”
The Warriors, who began the season 4–1, have since unraveled. Like last year, when Golden State pivoted at the deadline to acquire Jimmy Butler, the front office is believed to be seeking another roster jolt.
Kuminga ‘Feels Like the Scapegoat Again’ as Bench Demotion Returns
Team frustration has spilled into the Kerr-Kuminga dynamic once more. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the former lottery pick is increasingly discouraged.
Kuminga “feels like the scapegoat again,” Slater reported.
As Golden State slid into a 2–5 slump, head coach Steve Kerr moved Kuminga back to the bench, just months after tense extension negotiations. Slater noted that Kuminga’s turnovers rose from 2.4 to 3.1 per game, leading to another role reversal that “reopened old wounds.”
Before his injury, Kuminga averaged 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, flashing upside but struggling with consistency.
Injury, Trade-Friendly Contract Fuel Deadline Speculation
Kuminga missed his fifth straight game Friday due to knee tendinitis as the Warriors fell to .500 with a 127–123 loss to Portland. The timing of the injury has coincided with his newly signed two-year, $48.5 million contract, a key detail for trade suitors.
The deal includes a team option, which multiple insiders say was demanded by Golden State specifically to retain trade flexibility.
“The Warriors’ hardball stance all summer… was adopted with the intention to ensure that he was re-signed to a tradeable contract,” Stein reported.
One league executive told Stein that Kuminga is now “one of the best trade chips in the league.”
Warriors Deny Improvement Without Kuminga — But Questions Remain
The Warriors briefly won three straight after Kuminga’s injury, intensifying speculation that the team might operate better without him. Butler pushed back strongly against that idea.
“Him not being in the lineup ain’t the reason that we’re winning,” Butler said. “We’re just playing better basketball.”
After the Warriors lost three straight with Kuminga sidelined, Butler blasted the team’s defense, saying they are “not guarding anybody.”
The message was clear: Golden State’s problems run deeper than one player — but Kuminga remains the likely casualty.
What’s Next?
Kuminga becomes trade-eligible January 15, and heavy league interest is already forming. With the Warriors struggling to regain their identity and tension quietly rising behind the scenes, all signs point toward a deadline decision that could reshape Golden State’s future.
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