The Golden State Warriors snapped a three-game skid with a hard-fought 119-116 win over the Phoenix Suns. Stephen Curry paced Golden State with 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Devin Booker poured in 38 for Phoenix. Will Richardson delivered 20 off the bench for the Warriors. The victory moved Golden State to 14-15 in the West and stopped some of the recent noise around the club.
Jonathan Kuminga’s place in that picture is murky. After missing three games, he returned and played just nine minutes, going 1-for-5. The on-again, off-again role has become a recurring storyline. He’s eligible to be dealt on January 15, and that deadline looms large. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler suggested the team consider trading Kuminga, arguing the inconsistency has become a distraction. Rival teams, sources say, still believe Kuminga could flourish in a different system.
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Steve Kerr addressed the chatter and made his view clear. He urged honesty with players, but tempered it with empathy. “Everybody wants honesty… they don’t want to be pandered to. You have to deliver those messages with some empathy,” Kerr said. He noted the human side Kuminga has roots in the Bay and family considerations and compared the situation to Andrew Wiggins’ trade-season uncertainty last year. Kerr emphasized talking to players about the business realities while acknowledging how hard it is to be uprooted.
Steve Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga trade rumors
“It's a tough spot to be in… Andrew Wiggins was in this exact boat a year ago… I always just try to talk to the guys about the business and this is how it works… it's all part of the deal that you sign up for.” pic.twitter.com/VYGsZlhl91
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) December 21, 2025
Kerr also acknowledged the yearly churn of trade speculation. He said teams always see one or two players become focal points at the deadline. He didn’t name potential landing spots. Instead, he stressed communication and care in handling the matter.
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The takeaway: Kuminga’s future is unresolved. Performance and fit will drive decisions. Kerr wants honesty, yes, but paired with empathy. That approach could shape Kuminga’s next chapter whether in Golden State or elsewhere.
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