Franz Wagner, Jonathan Kuminga, Steve Kerr
The Golden State Warriors face a pivotal moment just days before the February 5 NBA trade deadline. Forward Jonathan Kuminga has formally requested a trade, bringing months of tension into the open and reshaping how the organization views a key decision from the 2021 NBA Draft, per Bleacher Report.
According to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN, Kuminga became eligible to be traded on Thursday after signing a contract extension during the offseason. Almost immediately, he asked out. The report notes that the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks have both shown interest, while Golden State has prioritized expiring contracts in return.
“League sources said the Warriors have been prioritizing expiring contracts in return for Kuminga,” Charania and Slater reported, adding that long-term money has slowed talks with Sacramento.
Kuminga’s request did not come out of nowhere. After flashing promise in recent seasons, his role shrank dramatically during the 2025–26 campaign. He appeared in only 18 of the team’s first 44 games and has not seen the floor in weeks, a stark contrast from the developmental path once envisioned for him.
NBACentral
Steve Kerr reportedly wanted to draft Franz Wagner over Jonathan Kuminga, per @TheAthletic
“Team sources confirmed that some in the organization, including Kerr, wanted Franz Wagner, but the German big man would go eighth to Orlando in the end. In a push to inject the Warriors’
Steve Kerr’s 2021 Draft Preference Resurfaces
As Kuminga’s future hangs in the balance, an earlier report has taken on new weight. According to The Athletic reporters Marcus Thompson II, Sam Amick, and Nick Friedell, head coach Steve Kerr favored Franz Wagner over Kuminga during the 2021 draft process.
“Team sources confirmed that some in the organization, including Kerr, wanted Franz Wagner,” the report stated, though Wagner ultimately went eighth overall to Orlando Magic, Fadeaway World reports. Golden State selected Kuminga seventh, betting on elite athleticism and long-term upside as part of a post–Stephen Curry vision.
That decision now reads differently. Wagner has developed into one of Orlando’s most dependable two-way forwards, thriving as a scorer, connector, and secondary playmaker within modern NBA offenses. His steady growth contrasts sharply with Kuminga’s stalled role and fractured relationship with the Warriors’ coaching staff.
A Painful Timing Shift for Golden State
The timing of this revelation only sharpens the impact. Kuminga’s trade demand arrived the moment he became movable, effectively ending any ambiguity about his place in the rotation. Meanwhile, Wagner’s rise underscores the type of player Golden State has repeatedly tried to cultivate around Curry, one who fits seamlessly without disrupting offensive flow.
Draft decisions rarely feel definitive in the moment. Context matters, and projections often cloud clarity. Yet five years later, this choice lingers because it speaks to alignment rather than raw potential. Kerr’s preference pointed toward fit and feel, qualities that matter deeply within Golden State’s system.
Now, as the Warriors navigate trade talks under a tight deadline, they do so with hindsight fully formed. Kuminga’s exit forces a recalibration, not just of the roster, but of how past choices echo forward. This moment will stick, not because the organization ignored logic, but because it chased upside when cohesion might have mattered more. Regardless of what happens, if the Warriors end up keeping Kuminga, that’s not so bad. They just need to learn how to utilize him properly.