Jonathan Kuminga's injury could derail Warriors' trade plans

Kuminga sprained his ankle in the Warriors' 121-113 win over the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday night. He'll be out for at least the next three weeks and perhaps more.

With the trade deadline one month away on Feb. 6, that puts a damper on any potential plans the Warriors had to deal Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. The team never came close to agreeing on a rookie extension with Kuminga last summer. While it has the right to match any contract offers for the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, his looming free agency made him a prime candidate for trade.

The injury came while Kuminga was playing well. For the month of December, Kuminga averaged 21 points and 6.3 rebounds, while upping his three-point shooting to 35.4%. He's been Golden State's most reliable scorer outside of Steph Curry, who had similar numbers to Kuminga last month (21.7 points, 36.2% from three-point range).

For Golden State to land a truly impactful player, Kuminga would almost certainly have to be in the trade. That becomes difficult when his health is uncertain. Opposing scouts can't watch him play for the next three weeks.

The team's inability to showcase Kuminga may be for the best. After a 12-3 start, the Warriors have gone 6-14 to slide to 18-17 as the team has failed to find consistency. A 34-point win against the Philadelphia 76ers Thursday was followed by a 30-point loss to the Sacramento Kings Sunday. Even with Curry, this team doesn't seem like a true contender even if it added a player like Jimmy Butler, whose Miami Heat visit the Warriors Tuesday night.

Losing Kuminga is a big blow to the struggling Warriors. But the injury may save them from making a bad, short-sighted decision about a young player with obvious talent in a season that's looking like another battle for a play-in berth.