Rumor: Warriors Won’t Trade Jonathan Kuminga

The Golden State Warriors will not trade restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, according to NBA reporter Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard. 

The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are interested in acquiring Kuminga in a sign-and-trade deal, but the Warriors don’t like the offers. 

“The word I got when I checked in with a Warriors source on Sunday: Jonathan Kuminga won’t be traded this summer,” Kawakami wrote. “He’ll be back on the Warriors’ roster to start the season. And it’ll either come when he signs the Warriors’ offer or accepts the $7.9 million one-year qualifying offer.”

Kuminga, who doesn’t have a good relationship with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists for Golden State last season in 47 games. The 22-year-old forward shot 45.4% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc and 66.8% from the free-throw line. 

Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He enters next season with career averages of 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists with Golden State. 

“But several sources have indicated that the Warriors have been unenthusiastic about the general idea of a Kuminga sign-and-trade from the outset,” Kawakami wrote. “The broad context is that Joe Lacob remains a fan of Kuminga’s and is determined to either keep the 22-year-old on the roster or get real value in return. And he’s willing to wait it out.”

The Kings offered a three-year, $63 million deal to Kuminga, according to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic. In the sign-and-trade proposal, the Warriors would get Malik Monk and a 2030 first-round pick.

It looks like Kuminga will play next season with the Warriors on a one-year qualifying offer and then hit unrestricted free agency next offseason. 

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