Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury, the Golden State Warriors were widely expected to turn aggressive ahead of the February 5 trade deadline in an effort to salvage what remains of their season.
With Jonathan Kuminga already available in trade discussions, speculation quickly centered on a potential framework with the Sacramento Kings involving DeMar DeRozan.
That scenario, however, appears to be off the table.
Golden State Warriors Cool on DeRozan Scenario
DeRozan, 36, is in the second year of a three-year, $73.8 million contract, earning $24.7 million this season with his salary rising to $25.7 million in 2026-27.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Warriors have little appetite for absorbing that level of long-term salary, nor do they have interest in Malik Monk, who has also surfaced in trade rumors.
“While the Sacramento Kings have long been Kuminga’s most interested suitor, league sources said there have been no recent traction in those talks,” Slater reported. “The Warriors have maintained no desire to absorb Malik Monk’s or DeMar DeRozan’s multiyear contracts in the deal, messaging to the Kings that they’d prefer an expiring contract back in a smaller-scale maneuver.”
Sacramento has previously been described as “eager” to move off DeRozan’s contract, and Monk, now in the second year of a four-year, $77.9 million deal, has also been linked to potential movement.
On paper, either contract could have aligned cleanly with Kuminga’s $22.5 million salary.
Still, Golden State appears unwilling to lock itself into additional long-term money for what it views as a short-term, reactionary move following Butler’s injury.
That stance holds even as The Athletic’s Sam Amick has previously reported that the Warriors’ leverage in trade talks has diminished.
Patience Prevails Despite Kuminga Uncertainty
That restraint could be tied to broader ambitions.
The Warriors have previously been linked to ambitious summer pursuits of LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo, making financial flexibility a priority rather than a deadline splurge.
Kuminga’s connection to Sacramento predates Butler’s injury, however. Andscape’s Marc J. Spears previously reported that the Kings were the 23-year-old’s preferred destination during offseason conversations, long before the current deadline cycle.
“He wants to go [to Sacramento],” Spears said in June. “The Kings are offering a starting spot, as the power forward, next to Keegan Murray and [Domantas] Sabonis.”
After briefly working his way back into the rotation following Butler’s ACL tear, Kuminga was again sidelined after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee, ruling him out for an extended period.
Even so, trade speculation surrounding the Congolese forward has not cooled, with the Warriors reportedly rebuffing inquiries from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite Kuminga’s desire for a change of scenery, a deal is far from guaranteed.
“Multiple team sources have described it as less likely Kuminga is moved following Jimmy Butler’s right ACL tear,” Slater added. “His desire for a fresh start is known, but so is general manager Mike Dunleavy’s unwillingness to make what he views as a bad value deal just to acquiesce to Kuminga’s wishes.”
The Warriors had won 12 of their previous 16 games prior to Butler’s injury and remain firmly in the playoff mix at 26-22. Even with momentum at risk, the franchise appears unwilling to force a deal it deems unfavorable.
For now, Golden State is choosing patience over panic, accepting the short-term uncertainty in hopes that discipline pays off in the bigger picture.