As the Golden State Warriors have now surpassed the end of the first month of their season, they are still without dynamic young forward Jonathan Kuminga, who has already missed six straight games with a knee injury and, as of now, has no solidified timetable for his return.
While the Warriors have, for the most part, played better with Kuminga out of the lineup, his absence presents one serious risk as the trade deadline creeps closer and closer. Kuminga is easily Golden State's most tradeable asset, and, if he is unable to play and perform well before the deadline arrives, the team could find themselves stuck with no serious suitors when the time comes.
Kuminga's contract is structured as a trade piece in the first place, although his value was low this past offseason
Undoubtedly, the organization structured Kuminga's two-year, $47 million contract extension (with a player option, at that) so that it could represent a high-leverage trade chip should the need arise.
Given the way that the Warriors have played so far this season, it appears as though they could certainly use another piece to galvanize them on both ends of the court.
If Kuminga's fit continues to be an issue, he would certainly be the most logical piece to move.
Yet, this past offseason, the organization was unable to find a suitable return for him on the sign-and-trade market. Although multiple teams had confirmed interest, and some even made concrete offers, none came close to the first-round pick or the difference-making piece that Golden State was looking for.
If he doesn't resurrect his value, the Warriors could be stuck at the deadline
Before he got injured, Kuminga was not necessarily having a terrible year, averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 47.8% from the field through his first 13 games.
Yet, these numbers, frankly, will not be enough to generate the level of interest in Kuminga that the Warriors' needs might necessitate.
Moreover, if you run down Golden State's cap sheet, it appears as though Kuminga might be the only truly movable contract for any sizable return.
While Moses Moody and Buddy Hield represent a combine $20 million in salary, the team has made clear that they are hesitant to trade their perimeter shooters, and Hield's performance so far this season has likely left his value in the basement, anyways.
Therefore, if the Warriors are looking to make any sort of serious trade before the deadline this season, it will likely be Kuminga's contract that needs to be moved, leaving them in an exceedingly difficult position if injuries hinder him from showcasing his value over the next couple of months.