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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks waits to tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on January 19, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors organization reportedly felt a wave of relief Wednesday night when Jonathan Kuminga was finally traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis.
The Athletic’s Nick Friedell reported that while Kuminga is still liked by several people within the organization that selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in 2021, many had been waiting for this night for weeks. Nobody more than Kuminga himself.
The relief wasn’t just about moving on from a player who requested a trade. It was about ending months of distraction that had engulfed the franchise. The tenuous relationship between Kuminga and coach Steve Kerr reportedly became impossible to ignore after Kuminga elected not to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in early January when the Warriors rested Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler.
The breakup was inevitable. It was a matter of when, not if. Wednesday night provided closure.
Giannis Hope Remains for Summer
Giannis Antetokounmpo.
GettyThe Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves are emerging as favorite to land Giannis Antetokounmpo head of the NBA trade deadline.
But the Kuminga deal prompted another feeling behind the scenes, according to Friedell: Hope. The Warriors haven’t completely closed the door on pursuing Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Some observers wrote off Golden State’s Giannis chase as soon as news broke of the Kuminga deal. But team sources were quick to indicate they still believe a summer trade remains possible if Milwaukee doesn’t move Antetokounmpo before Thursday’s deadline.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported there has been “an extended lack of communication from the Milwaukee side in recent days that left the Warriors, and some other teams, skeptical that Antetokounmpo would actually be on the move.” That feeling remained late Wednesday night, with the prevailing sentiment that the Bucks aren’t ready to move the player around whom they’ve built their entire organization.
The Warriors remain at least somewhat optimistic that if Milwaukee doesn’t trade Giannis by Thursday afternoon, there will still be a chance to rekindle talks in the summer. Golden State has been telling Butler they will stick with him throughout his year-long ACL rehab. Green could once again be at the center of trade talks this summer when he decides whether to pick up his $28 million player option.
Acquiring Antetokounmpo would require at least one big outgoing salary. Green or Porzingis would likely need to be included since Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and other Warriors assets wouldn’t be enough to make the money match.
The time between now and summer would also give Antetokounmpo more time to think about whether the Warriors provide the best option for his future. He would have the chance to play with Curry and Butler when he returns.
The Warriors’ Failed Two-Timelines Experiment
Jonathan Kuminga, Jonathan Kuminga injury, warriors,
GettyJonathan Kuminga along with Buddy Hield has been traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
The relief and hope Friedell described can’t mask a harsh reality. The Warriors’ two-timelines plan collapsed spectacularly. What was supposed to allow Golden State to compete for championships while developing young talent to extend their window ended with trading away their most valuable young asset for an injury-prone veteran on an expiring contract.
The Warriors had three lottery picks fall into their lap after five straight Finals appearances. Those three picks netted an injured Gary Payton II returning to the team, an injured Porzingis who has missed 13 straight games, some second-round picks, and Moses Moody, who’s averaging 7.7 points per game in his five-year career.
That’s a generational fumble for a franchise that once prided itself on being light years ahead. The 2022 championship should have prompted an all-out charge to maximize Curry’s remaining prime years. Instead, the Warriors clung to the idea that Kuminga could develop into a star while they remained competitive.
The idea of Kuminga overshadowed opportunities to land proven winners. Pascal Siakam, the second-best player on last season’s Finals team, was available. Alex Caruso, a key player for the champion Thunder, could have been acquired. But the Warriors hesitated, unwilling to part with Kuminga’s perceived upside.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti traded Josh Giddey, the No. 6 pick in 2021 taken one spot ahead of Kuminga, for Caruso without hesitation. Presti understood which player was ready to complement his star and win now. The Warriors kept waiting for Kuminga to become that player.
Where the Warriors Stand Now
Kristaps Porzingis
GettyThe Golden State Warriors have traded for center Kristaps Porzingis, sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks.
At the moment, Golden State’s outlook is cloudy. Curry is dealing with a knee issue. Butler is out for the season. Green knows his name has been discussed in trade talks. The Warriors are 27-24 and eighth in the Western Conference.
Porzingis, when healthy, is someone the Warriors have been interested in for years. At 7-foot-2, he’s the floor-stretching, rim-protecting big man they’ve always sought. His expiring contract helps financially and opens the possibility of re-signing De’Anthony Melton in the offseason.
But none of that changes the fundamental problem. The needle moved maybe an inch. Porzingis has missed 33 more games than Anthony Davis over the last three years. Banking on his health to carry the Warriors through the playoffs is a significant gamble.
The best-case scenario is that Porzingis returns healthy, meshes with Curry and Green, and provides enough to make a deep playoff run. Then, somehow, the Warriors convince Milwaukee to trade Antetokounmpo this summer using a package built around Green or Porzingis.
It’s a long shot. But it always has been for the Warriors since Butler went down. The front office is reportedly holding onto hope until Antetokounmpo officially winds up somewhere else.
Shams Charania
BREAKING: The Golden State Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, sources tell ESPN.
Final Word
The Kuminga drama is over. That alone was worth celebrating for a Warriors organization tired of the distraction. The 23-year-old forward will get a fresh opportunity to showcase his skills in Atlanta. Golden State is finally free of the awkwardness that defined Kuminga’s final months in a Warriors uniform.
But the relief can’t hide the mistakes. The Warriors bet on two timelines and lost. They held onto young players too long while Curry aged. They passed on proven winners for the promise of potential that never materialized.
Now they’re left hoping an injury-prone Porzingis can stay healthy and that Milwaukee might reconsider trading Giannis in three months. It’s not the position a franchise with Curry, four championships, and aspirations of a fifth title should be in.
The 2022 championship looked like the start of another run. It should have been treated as the final chapter that needed extending at all costs. Instead, the Warriors wagered on Kuminga becoming a star. That bet failed. And now they’re scrambling to salvage what remains of Curry’s prime with a Hail Mary hope that Giannis might still be available this summer.
Relief is understandable. The Kuminga situation needed resolution. But hope for a summer Giannis trade feels like wishful thinking after months of pursuing him without success. The Warriors made their bed with the two-timelines approach. Now they’re lying in it, wondering if there’s still a path back to championship contention before Curry’s window closes for good.