Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
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Jonathon Kuminga takes the ball up the court.
The Golden State Warriors‘ 2025 offseason is expected to revolve around the immediate future of Jonathan Kuminga. The fifth-year forward, a restricted free agent, could be included in sign-and-trade deals or even brought back to the team depending on the value of offer sheets he receives.
Amid the uncertainty, Fadeaway World proposed a three-team trade that would send the Congolese forward to Pacific Division rivals, the Lakers, while bringing back two rotational players and a second-round draft pick.
Lakers would receive: Nic Claxton, Jonathan Kuminga
Warriors would receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Dalton Knecht, 2025 No. 55 Pick
Nets would receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2031 first-rounder (Lakers)
How the Trade Helps the Lakers
The hypothetical trade would also help the Lakers improve their rim protection, which was a severe issue in the 2025 playoffs, with the addition of Claxton.
The Nets center has been previously earmarked as an option for the Lakers, specifically due to his ability to run the floor and catch lobs from Luka Doncic.
While Kuminga hasn’t excelled defensively in his young career, the athletic wing has shown potential to lock up his matchups. As such, the Lakers will have little to lose in acquiring Claxton, 26, and Kuminga, 22, two youngsters with enormous upside.
“The Lakers finally land a two-way rim protector in Nic Claxton and high-upside athletic wing Jonathan Kuminga, two players with star potential,” wrote Eddie Bitar. “Pairing Claxton with Kuminga keeps the Lakers flexible enough to chase additional scoring or playmakers, especially with LeBron’s impending retirement creating room over the next few seasons.
“This lineup transforms L.A. into one of the most modern two-way starting fives in the league, built to support superstars while maintaining long-term cap health.”
Jonathan Kuminga Linked to Two Teams
According to Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto, two Eastern Conference teams have interest in acquiring Kuminga via sign-and-trade scenarios. Neither team will have the cap space to make a sizeable offer for Kuminga, who is expected to command an annual salary of $25-$30 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
“The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat are two teams to monitor as potential sign-and-trade candidates for Kuminga, league sources told HoopsHype. With that in mind, the Warriors have also not ruled out the possibility of retaining Kuminga, sources said,” Scotto wrote on June 16.
Marks earmarked the Nets, the only team with sizeable cap space in the 2025 offseason, as the best destination for Kuminga. Marks added that the Warriors are expected to tend a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Kuminga by the June 29 deadline, but that doesn’t mean they won’t match any offer sheets that he may receive.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. did not rule out the possibility of brining back Kuminga despite the forward receiving limited playing time in the playoffs, including three DNPs against the Houston Rockets.
“I know how we can work with him better,” Dunleavy said in the season-ending press conference, via Marks. “But in terms of guessing how it’s all going to play out or what the contract might look like or sign-and-trades and things like that, honestly, I’d be totally guessing at this point.”