NBA Rumors: Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors, and the trade deadline

Jonathan Kuminga is once again a protagonist in the market and NBA rumors, a story that has been repeating almost cyclically in recent years. Every trade deadline his name comes up, each time with less force than before, reflecting a player whose value has been eroding and who has never quite fit into Steve Kerr's plans in the Golden State Warriors. We will see what happens before the trade deadline on February 5.

For weeks, it was taken for granted that Kuminga would be traded before the upcoming market deadline on February 5, but the scenario has changed. According to recent information from ESPN, it is now less likely for the small forward to be traded, and the main reason has to do with injuries. Not only did Kuminga recently get injured, but Jimmy Butler, the player who had taken his place in the starting rotation before tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament, also got injured.

Before Butler's injury, Kuminga was internally described as a 22.5-million-dollar small forward practically out of rotation, after stringing together 16 consecutive games without touching the court. Butler's absence granted him minutes and prominence, to the point of scoring 30 points in just 30 minutes coming off the bench, right before getting injured. Within the franchise, there have been talks of giving him a new opportunity with minutes after the market closes, as long as he remains on the roster. However, that decision is still pending.

The same ESPN article pointed out that the Sacramento Kings, one of the destinations most mentioned for Kuminga, have not recently advanced in conversations with Golden State. Part of the stalemate is that the Warriors show no interest in receiving either Malik Monk or an already veteran DeMar DeRozan.

Marc Stein mentioned another possible option: the Miami Heat. According to the journalist, there is an expectation to explore the option of trading Kuminga to Miami to allow for the return of Andrew Wiggins to Golden State, a key player in the franchise's last championship in the 2020-21 season. Stein also noted that another real alternative is for the Warriors to keep Kuminga until after the deadline, give him plenty of minutes in the second half of the season, and seek to increase his value for the summer market.

However, that plan could potentially cause internal tensions. Chris Haynes reported that Kuminga does not wish to remain with the Warriors and that his relationship with Steve Kerr is "beyond repair." According to that version, the player feels he has not had the organization's support and has clearly been devalued. Nonetheless, Haynes added that Sacramento continues to show interest in acquiring him.

Kuminga keeps requesting a trade

Sam Amick was even more emphatic in describing the atmosphere between both parties. According to the journalist, Golden State acknowledges that Kuminga has been requesting a trade daily through his agent for the past two months. A situation described as toxic, although he believes that it is still possible for a deal to be closed, probably a complex one requiring a third team. In this scenario, it is not ruled out that Kuminga could accumulate several DNP-CDs until the last day of the market.

With an injury that will keep him out for several weeks, it remains to be seen how this setback will affect his real chances of leaving before February 5. The only thing clear is that the Kuminga situation once again sums up a familiar dynamic: constant rumors, nonexistent fit with Steve Kerr, and an increasingly challenging market value to maintain.

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