Jonathan Kuminga
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A new trade proposal has the Golden State Warriors trading Jonathan Kuminga to the Utah Jazz and acquiring the Dallas Mavericks' Klay Thompson.
One of the biggest dominoes of the NBA trade deadline belongs to theGolden State Warriors, as a deal involving forwardJonathan Kuminga would be seismic.
The player and the team have been an incompatible match since the season began, from astandoff over his contract to the fifth-year pro dealing withknee tendinitis and beingphased out of the rotation. Kuminga can be traded beginning on January 15, and it looks like the Warriors will try to take a big swing ahead of the February 5 deadline.
In a new trade proposal fromBleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, Golden State pulls off a monster deal that sends Kuminga to theUtah Jazz and brings home a familiar face. The full trade would involve eight teams, but this article will focus on three of the major players, for the sake of brevity.
Here is the trade proposal:
Warriors receive: G Klay Thompson (from Mavericks), F Jonathan Isaac (from Magic), C Day’Ron Sharpe, G Garrett Temple (from Raptors), 2027 first-round pick (via Jazz)
Jazz receive: F Jonathan Kuminga (from Warriors), F Hunter Tyson (from Nuggets), F Nigel Hayes-Davis (from Suns), $2.5 million (from Suns)
Mavericks receive: G Cam Thomas (from Nets), G Jalen Pickett (from Nuggets), $8.5 million trade exception (Klay Thompson)
Who says yes to this deal? Who says no? Let’s see it through and find out:
Why Golden State Warriors Make This Trade
Golden State made a blockbuster move at last year’s trade deadline, acquiringJimmy Butler from theMiami Heat, which ignited a team that had been scuffling. This would be the same kind of jolt for the Warriors, currently a fringe playoff team in the Western Conference.
Thompson is beloved in Golden State and fits the Warriors’ offense perfectly. They have gotten little production from the guard opposite ofStephen Curry this year, asBuddy Hield (7.9 points per game) has struggled.Moses Moody andPat Spencer have worked their way into the starting lineup, but that shouldn’t deter Golden State from acquiring one of themost prolific three-point shooters in NBA history (andCurry’s preferred wingman).
The first round pick in this deal is also a plus for Golden State.Curry,Thompson andDraymond Green (assuming he picks up hisplayer option) all come off the books after the 2026-2027 season. This would be the final championship push for Golden State’s core, before the team has to build for the future.
Why Utah Jazz Make This Trade
Going to Utah would be a fresh start for Kuminga, a young player with lots of upside that has not been able to find his footing with the team that drafted him. The forward could blossom if given more minutes and more opportunities with the Jazz.
The team has some pieces in place to be competitive, with a veteran forwardLauri Markkanen (assuming the Jazz arenot blown away by an offer for him at the trade deadline) and a young guard in No. 5 overall pickAce Bailey. If Kuminga can gel with those players, and centerWalker Kessler returns healthy from atorn labrum, Utah could be a surprise team in the Western Conference next season.
The Jazz have asecond first-round pick in 2027. They could give Kuminga a new contract that summer, if it makes sense, or land a more cost-controllable player through the draft to replace him.
Why Dallas Mavericks Make This Trade
The Mavericks have shown they will be sellers at the trade deadline, and Thompson is an asset that could bring them both salary cap relief and young talent.
The Mavericks may have a top-10 player in the league on a rookie deal inCooper Flagg, and they will want to build around him quickly and try to maximize that window. Shedding Thompson’s contract and others is essential if Dallas wants to be competitive in free agency this summer and next.
Thomas, 24, would be a nice wing player to complement Flagg for the rest of this season. The LSU product averaged 24 points per game last season and is putting up 21.4 points per game this year. If the Mavericks like him, they’ll have the opportunity to make him a foundational piece when his contract expires at the end of 2025-26.