The NBA trade deadline is fast approaching, and the Golden State Warriors still haven’t concluded the Jonathan Kuminga saga. He has fallen out of favor with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, but a promising trade agreement could be just around the corner.
Jonathan Kuminga Requests Trade as Warriors Emerge in De’Andre Hunter Talks
According to Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, the Warriors could trade the fifth-year star for Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter. Kuminga hasn’t played for over a month, so it comes as no surprise that the forward has requested a move away from the Bay Area, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Hunter is an experienced NBA forward who was drafted fourth overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. This season, he has averaged 14.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and would come as a solid player on both ends of the floor.
The full trade would see Hunter move to the Warriors, Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davies join the Phoenix Suns, and Royce O’Neal, Ryan Dunn, and Nick Richards join the Cavaliers. The trade would be highly favorable for the Warriors, who view their four first-round picks as untradeable right now.
Stephen Curry isn’t getting any younger, and the Warriors would rather save their draft capital for another superstar or a rebuild. In October 2022, Hunter signed a four-year, $90,000,000 contract with the Atlanta Hawks, earning $23,303,571 this season.
The trade would work for the Warriors because of Kuminga’s near-identical salary match to Hunter, with Kuminga taking home $22.5 million. Hunter is one of the more relaxed and calm presences around the NBA, a personality needed in a locker room with Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III.
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The forward can play as a starter, come off the bench, and at 6ft8, can guard multiple positions and stretch the floor. With Butler III expected to miss the rest of the season because of an ACL injury, Hunter would probably be thrust into the line-up. Hunter has a 35.5% career three-point percentage, adding a reliable option to Steve Kerr’s beyond-the-arc offensive strategy.
If the Warriors are to sustain a playoff hunt and make a deep postseason run, Kerr’s team knows it needs to bring in an experienced forward. Curry and co are eighth in the Western Conference, winning 25 games and losing 19, following a four-game win streak.
The Warriors, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Lakers all have 25 wins, while Phoenix has 26 but has lost 17 games. The Rockets currently occupy the fifth spot in the Western Conference, and for Golden State to confirm their playoff place, they must continue to ride their current momentum.
Would acquiring Hunter help the Warriors continue their momentum and take them into the playoffs?
