Warriors, Warriors trade, Lakers, Jonathan Kuminga
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Head coach Steve Kerr (L) and governor Joe Lacob of the Golden State Warriors look on during a game between the Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs during the 2022 NBA Summer League
The Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks are reportedly the two biggest suitors for a Jonathan Kuminga trade, but the Los Angeles Lakers are a dark horse that the Golden State Warriors are duly aware of.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Warriors are aware of “the intrigue” the Lakers have for Kuminga, with their Pacific Division rivals’ interest in the Congolese forward dating back to his Restricted Free agency last year.
“League and team sources confirmed a report that the Lakers have some interest in Kuminga, though it remains unclear if talks will unfold. The Warriors, the sources said, are aware of the intrigue and waiting to see how that situation evolves,” Amick reported on Jan. 15, backing up earlier reports from insider Jake Fischer.
Lakers Intrigue in Kuminga Trade
A subsequent report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson noted that Lakers front-office head Rob Pelinka is a fan of Kuminga and sees the fifth-year forward as a good fit on a Luka Doncic-led team.
“Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka is a fan of Kuminga’s, sources say, and likes the idea of him as an athletic wing on a Luka Dončić-led team,” Johnson reported on Jan. 15, the day Kuminga became trade-eligible.
“The Warriors have been aware of the Lakers’ likeness for Kuminga, though it’s unclear how likely an in-season move between the two teams is.”
Hypothetically, the Lakers could offer some combination of the expiring deals of Rui Hachimura Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber, along with Dalton Khnect as a sweetener, to land Kuminga. It doesn’t appear likely that those players would interest the Warriors.
NBACentral
Rob Pelinka is reportedly a fan of Jonathan Kuminga and likes him on the wing next to Luka Dončić, per @DaltonJ_Johnson
“Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka is a fan of Kuminga’s, sources say, and likes the idea of him as an athletic wing on a Luka Dončić-led
Warriors Trade Deadline Plans
Besides Kuminga, the Warriors are reportedly open to moving Buddy Hield, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski with hopes of bringing back athletic frontcourt players and 3&D wings to put next to Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III.
Some of the reported Warriors trade targets include Dallas Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford, Brooklyn Nets’ Nic Claxton and Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams, the New Orleans Pelicans‘ Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III and the Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. However, there have been conflicting reports about Golden State’s interest in MPJ, with ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater noting that the Warriors have not engaged in discussions about the sharpshooting forward.
“As of this week, the Warriors hadn’t talked to the Brooklyn Nets in more than a month and have never shown real interest in a trade for wing Michael Porter Jr., league sources said,” read the report published on Dec. 15.
“They’ve been fond of Trey Murphy III in the past, but the New Orleans Pelicans are rebuffing calls about all of their young wings, league sources said.”
The Warriors will reportedly be willing to move a few of their three tradeable first-round picks, which include 2026, if the “right star player” becomes available.
“If the right star player is made available, the Warriors would be willing to move multiple first-round draft picks, team sources said, though they are more protective of their first-rounders in 2028 and beyond than their 2026 pick.”
The Warriors are under pressure to give Curry, who turns 38 in March, another opportunity to compete for a championship. The contracts of Butler, Green and Butler all expire after the 2026-27 season, following which the Warriors could enter a new era.