Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors
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Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga walks onto the court from the tunnel before a game in San Francisco.
Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the Golden State Warriors took on new public tension Sunday night — not because of anything the forward said, but because of what his agent didn’t say.
Following Golden State’s 124–111 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, posted a highlight reel of Kuminga’s performance against Atlanta from the 2023–24 season on X. The post had no caption, no explanation and no direct criticism — but its timing was impossible to ignore.
https://t.co/KQqZdVufHm
— Aaron Turner (@arockturner20) January 12, 2026
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Kuminga was a coach’s decision DNP (CD-DNP) in the loss, the latest in a string of nights where the former lottery pick has been removed from Steve Kerr’s regular rotation.
The implication of Turner’s post was clear enough to ignite debate.
Around the league, the situation has quickly turned into full-blown Kuminga trade buzz, fueled by the timing of the post and the shifting rotation.
Kuminga’s Trade Window Is About to Open — and the Market Is Being Tested
The timing also matters for a more practical reason: Kuminga’s trade restriction is set to be lifted on Jan. 15 — three days from now and roughly three weeks before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Multiple reports have indicated that the Warriors have already begun actively gauging Kuminga’s trade market, even before the restriction formally lifts, to understand what level of value he commands and what type of roster return might be available.
That does not mean a deal is imminent. But it does mean the Warriors are no longer treating Kuminga’s situation as a purely internal rotation matter.
With the trade restriction lifting Jan. 15, the Kuminga trade buzz is no longer just online chatter — it now has real front-office consequences.
Warriors Lose to Hawks as Kuminga Sits Again
Golden State’s issues on Sunday were not subtle.
The Warriors were outscored 23–17 in fast-break points, 28–11 in points off turnovers, and surrendered a 15-point advantage from three-point range. Atlanta controlled the tempo, spacing and physicality throughout the night.
Luke Kennard led the Hawks with a season-high 22 points off the bench, hitting six three-pointers in Atlanta’s third straight win.
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler combined for 61 points in the loss. Curry finished with 31 points — his 13th 30-point game of the season — while Butler added 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
It was not enough.
The loss snapped Golden State’s three-game home winning streak and reignited questions about lineup construction, defensive versatility and the cost of removing athleticism from the rotation.
Fans React to Agent’s Post, Divided Over Kuminga’s Role
Turner’s post quickly became a flashpoint.
Some fans interpreted it as a quiet protest against Kuminga’s usage.
Others saw it as unprofessional or disconnected from team priorities.
One fan said, “There’s no I in Team.”
Another fan sided with Kuminga and wrote: “The saddest part about all of this is when Kuminga finally gets to another team and he’s balling out and getting All-Star-like numbers, everybody will say he just didn’t work with Curry.”
One fan offered his thoughts on Kuminga’s diminishing trade value, commenting, “This is a bad sign. Petty tweets this close to being trade-eligible signals they haven’t found a deal yet. If they had, you would be quiet and just count down the days. Even if they did want him to play at this point, you would advise him to sit out, no? Need this to wrap up.”
Others defended Kuminga and shifted criticism toward Kerr’s rotation philosophy.
“Say what y’all want, but if Kerr played our athletic players more, we’d have a better record,” one fan said.
Steve Kerr Explains Why Kuminga Fell Out of the Rotation
Kerr addressed Kuminga’s removal from the rotation directly last week — and framed it not as an indictment of the player, but as a structural reality of the lineup.
“I’m disappointed for him that things didn’t continue the way they did early,” Kerr said. “But starting JK, Jimmy and Draymond together is tricky. That’s a tough combination based on shooting.”
Kerr emphasized spacing and lineup balance as the central issues.
“Sometimes Steph can offset every spacing obstacle — he’s that good — but in the modern NBA, it’s tough to rely on that,” Kerr said. “We gave that lineup several weeks, and the weaknesses were exposed.”
Positional Stress and the Draymond Green Factor
One of Kerr’s biggest concerns is positional stress — specifically what starting Kuminga requires of Draymond Green.
Kuminga’s presence often pushes Green into extended minutes at center, something Kerr is unwilling to do over a full season.
“I didn’t want to play Draymond at the five for 82 games,” Kerr said. “That was a 30-game run last year.”
Golden State instead committed to more size by starting Quinten Post, sacrificing switchability for sustainability.
From there, Kerr chose Moses Moody over Brandin Podziemski for the remaining wing spot, citing Moody’s on-ball defense.
That combination left Kuminga as the odd man out.
Moody struggled with only two points, missing all his three attempts from the floor, while Podziemski scored only three points on four shots.
Whether a move happens or not, the Kuminga trade buzz reflects how quickly narratives can shift when opportunity, timing and visibility collide.