Though just five weeks into the NBA season, the Golden State Warriors have major issues, and as the days go on, a Jonathan Kuminga trade feels increasingly inevitable.
The Warriors have lost three of their last four games, and the problems of old age, injuries, and poor shooting have been evident in their recent contests.
Additionally, the Kuminga situation is getting closer to a boiling point. After missing six consecutive games with a knee injury, head coach Steve Kerr said he didn’t know when the wing would return or how his recovery had gone. The player himself stayed silent when asked by reporters about a return. Most recently, he told Anthony Slater of ESPN that he’d be back ‘soon’, but the rift between the 23-year-old and Golden State appears larger than ever.
The idea of the Warriors trading Kuminga is nothing new, but now, with the real problems across their roster, trading the forward as soon as he’s eligible might be their best play to maximize the time left with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.
Jonathan Kuminga Trade Pitch For DeMar DeRozan
With Kuminga on the outs, Golden State might not have a lot of options to choose from on the trade market. However, recent news of the Sacramento Kings blowing things up is a positive, and general manager Mike Dunleavy could target star DeMar DeRozan in a trade that would look something like this, according to Liam McKeone from Sports Illustrated.
Warriors receive: DeMar DeRozan, Keon Ellis
Kings receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield
Yes, on paper, DeRozan by no means fixes the Warriors’ issue of age and outside shooting. He’s 36 years old and has a career three-point percentage of 30%. Yet still, he’s been one of the most consistent players in recent NBA memory, averaging 21.3 points across his 17 seasons, and has never played less than 60 games in a year.
The hope for the Warriors is that they move away from Kuminga, finally giving him his own franchise to star at that he’s wanted for some time now. Immediately, it would boost team chemistry while bringing in a winning player who could slide in alongside Golden State’s other offensive stars.
Plus, the Kings have been interested in Kuminga for a while, and with news that they are open to hearing trades for a majority of their roster, the Warriors could pounce on the franchise’s fire sale.
“The Warriors know this is one of their last, best shots at a title with Steph Curry in his prime,” McKeone wrote. “They may not want to waste time trying to get something out of Kuminga when they can trade him for win-now assets once his trade restriction is lifted in January.”
Though this deal would also send out Hield, it would bring in Ellis to Golden State, a career 40.9% three-point shooter.
When Will The Warriors Get Back Kuminga?
Along with recent injuries to Green and Al Horford, Kuminga has missed six consecutive games. As mentioned, Kerr recently said he didn’t know how the wing was progressing or when a return would come. However, after Kuminga gave his one-word ‘soon‘ response, Golden State could be in for some good news.
Most recently, Kerr spoke again about the forward, but this time with a bit more insight to offer. After the team’s recent win over the Utah Jazz, the latest Kuminga injury update points to him getting back on the court soon.
“He did three-on-three before practice,” Kerr said. “And that went well. And then he took part in all of practice. (Wednesday) He will scrimmage. He won’t play in the game (Wednesday), but he will take part in a five-on-five scrimmage (Wednesday) evening before our game, and that will give us a good gauge for where he is.”
After an already rocky past 12 months in Golden State, it’s been the same story for Kuminga in 2025-26, bouncing in and out of the starting lineup, and now dealing with an injury. The Warriors stars have defended the 23-year-old, with Butler even taking Kuminga under his wing.
However, with the recently signed player currently out, and having a silent battle between him, Kerr, and the front office, the franchise making yet another effort to ingratiate him into the team seems unlikely.
Though he could be back in the lineup sometime soon, a Kuminga trade before the deadline appears more and more likely, whether it be for DeRozan or any other player who can offer something new.
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