Jonathan Kuminga's benching signals imminent trade

If one reads the tea leaves closely, the Warriors have all but signaled that they plan to move on from Kuminga. 

They did not give him a contract extension even as 11 others from his 2021 draft class got paid this offseason. 

The franchise has refused to embrace him as a cornerstone piece, shockingly, even after his breakout season in 2023-24 that saw him average 17.4 points post-All-Star break and 22.4 points per 36 minutes. 

Kuminga was one of the lone bright spots of a disappointing 2023-24 campaign for the Warriors, so much so that Draymond Green said it'd be "a failure" if he doesn't make an All-Star team this season.

How is the 22-year-old supposed to make the All-Star Game when his team continues to treat him like an afterthought? Has he not earned the opportunity to average at least 30 minutes per night? 

What exactly are the Warriors playing for? Nobody is picking them to be even a top-six seed out West. Shouldn't their priority be fast-tracking the development of Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski?

Instead, head coach Steve Kerr seems fixated on his "committee approach" by fielding 12-man rotations, thereby stunting the growth of Kuminga, who finally saw the floor in the final few minutes of a game on Tuesday. 

The Warriors' handling of Kuminga is baffling and doesn't bode well for either party. By refusing to showcase him, all the Warriors are doing is diminishing his trade value. This is the same franchise that once claimed to be "lightyears ahead" of everyone else.

Counterpoint: the Warriors are 3-1 to start the season. But at what cost?  Role players such as Buddy Hield and Lindy Waters III are helping them eke out wins, but are either of them going to succeed Stephen Curry as the next franchise player? Kuminga has the potential to be just that.