With Jonathan Kuminga wanting out and Jimmy Butler tearing his ACL, the Golden State Warriors are facing problems that need immediate fixing. Luckily, there may be a trade that can solve those problems and keep them in the playoff race.
Fansided’s Ian Levy proposes that the Warriors engage in a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets, sending Kuminga to the Los Angeles Lakers, and getting Michael Porter Jr. from the Brooklyn Nets.
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The full trade would look like this:
Warriors get: F Michael Porter Jr., F Jarred Vanderbilt
Lakers get: F Jonathan Kuminga, G Buddy Hield, G Gary Payton II
Nets get: F Rui Hachimura, F Moses Moody, F Dalton Knecht, F Gui Santos, C Trayce Jackson-Davis, two future first-round picks
“The Warriors were already in a tight spot with Jonathan Kuminga — both sides clearly want a trade but all most of his trade value and all of the team's leverage has been eroded. Butler's injury only makes things more complicated…Michael Porter Jr. made a lot of sense for them on paper before Butler's injury, even though they reportedly weren't interested in him. He makes even more sense now — an enormous and immediate upgrade over what they'd get from Kuminga in Butler's minutes. Trading for him basically gives up all their flexibility for the rest of Steph Curry's contract and locks them into this core for a last try at another title. But what else is out there that gives them a better shot over the next few years?” Levy wrote.
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So far this season, Porter is averaging 25.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, while shooting almost 50% from the floor and 40% from deep. He would replace Butler’s scoring and become the second option for the team.
This trade works for all sides. It replaces Butler and moves Kuminga for the Dubs, it gives the Lakers Kuminga, whom they’ve been high on, and a shooter in Hield, and the Nets get picks, players to flip for more assets, and young stars to add to their rebuild. Hopefully, the Warriors propose this soon, while they’re still in the race for postseason basketball.
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