Nov 22, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) brings the ball up court against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) during second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

New Report On Surprise Team Interested In Jonathan Kuminga

Originally posted on New Orleans Pelicans on SI
By Grant Mona | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 1:29 PM ET

Jonathan Kuminga has become a polarizing figure for the Golden State Warriors in the past few years. After being touted as a top prospect during the draft, Kuminga has yet to blossom in Golden State, primarily due to limited playing time and opportunities.

Kuminga played in only 47 games during the 2024-2025 season, averaging 15.3 points per game in both the regular season and the playoffs, but emerged as a breakout player in the Conference Semifinals despite the absence of superstar Steph Curry.

In the five-game series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kuminga averaged 20.8 points per game on a remarkable 54.3% shooting and 42.1% from three-point range. In his expanded role, he proved that he can be a crucial player to any contending team, let alone the Warriors.

A new report from Jake Fischer of The People's Insider revealed that a new surprise team is in the mix for the Warriors' young forward.

He wrote, "I've confirmed that the Pelicans hold an interest in Kuminga, but various team salary cap experts have pointed out to me that New Orleans has no easy route to take Kuminga on its books at his desired contract range. The cap gymnastics needed to keep the Pelicans out of the luxury tax — which has been a perennial priority for ownership — are described as considerable."

Kuminga remains a Restricted Free Agent, with a $22.9 million cap hold, but the talks around a long-term deal seem to have hit a stalemate. The Base Year Compensation rule means the Warriors can only take back half of Kuminga's new salary in a sign-and-trade.

If Kuminga does sign in the $25 to 30 million range, the Warriors could only take back around $12.5 to $15 million, so a trade involving Herb Jones, Jordan Hawkins, and a first-round pick would be viable, and indeed interesting to the Warriors.

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This article first appeared on New Orleans Pelicans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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