The Indiana Pacers are a potential suitor for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, according to a report by ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel. The reigning Eastern Conference champions are taking a gap year of sorts this season with Tyrese Haliburton out after tearing his achilles during the NBA Finals. Siegel speculates that the Pacers may be willing to part with Benedict Mathurin and/or Jarace Walker in a deal for Kuminga.
“Staying in the Eastern Conference, one team that has quietly been scouting Kuminga dating back to the start of the 2024-25 season and has continued into this year is the Indiana Pacers,” Siegel wrote. “Could there be a deal to be had between Indiana and Golden State, one that possibly involved Bennedict Mathurin?”
“As he prepares to hit restricted free agency next summer, Mathurin is the exact type of athletic wing scorer the Warriors would want next to Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.”
“It does seem like the Pacers are wanting to sell high on Mathurin and former first-round pick Jarace Walker with their upcoming contract situations, and this is a team that won’t be spending more money or going into the tax any time soon. That is why there is an expectation that the Pacers will move a contract like Mathurin’s before the deadline, especially since they will likely get a top-5 pick in next year’s draft.”
In terms of the salary cap, a package of Mathurin and Walker would be acceptable under the terms of the CBA. However, it would push the Pacers into the luxury tax, something that Indiana’s ownership has almost always prioritized avoiding. Thus, it seems more likely that a deal would include one of Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, T.J. McConnell, or Isaiah Jackson.
Mathurin and Walker are both intriguing former lottery picks who could hypothetically be excellent fits with the Warriors long-term. However, they are both roughly the same age as Kuminga and remain early in their development trajectories. Since the Dubs presumably want to trade Kuminga for a more immediate upgrade, Mathurin and Walker would seemingly be imperfect fits. Granted, that could open the door to a three-team deal.
Despite their youth, there is an argument that Walker and Mathurin could find it easier to fit in with the Warriors. Mathurin is best suited to play shooting guard, the Warriors clearest position of need, and both he and Walker are superior three-point shooters to Kuminga, making it easier for them to play alongside the limited spacing created by Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
Among the Pacers more established role players, Toppin would seem like the most likely to be moved in a deal for Kuminga. Toppin has his limitations as a offense-first bench big and is making about $15 million per season through 2027-28. He is also currently sidelined by a stress fracture in his foot that will keep him out until February.
Perhaps there is a world where the Warriors could package Kuminga with Buddy Hield’s semi-expiring contract in a deal for Toppin, Mathurin, and Walker, but it’s hard to imagine the Pacers parting with that much long-term value for Kuminga at the moment.
Still, it’s a positive sign for the Warriors that another team could be entering trade talks for Kuminga. Golden State could use a bidding war.