Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga demands a trade
The Golden State Warriors are amid another internal dilemma as forward Jonathan Kuminga has demanded a trade.
The situation has hit a low point as Kuminga hasn’t played in the last 13 games, as he has dropped to the bottom of the rotation depth chart. Head coach Steve Kerr had planned on using him on Jan. 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the fifth-year forward ruled himself out with back soreness an hour before tipoff.
It’s reached a breaking point, as both sides had initially hoped that there could be a middle ground with Kuminga starting the first 12 games of the season. However, he has since struggled with his play, leading to a loss of playing time.
The issues have persisted over the last couple of seasons, nearly leading to Kuminga departing in the offseason, but he was a restricted free agent. That alone limited his possible landing spots, eventually leading him to re-sign on a two-year, $46.8 million deal with a $24.3 million team option for next season.
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Despite all that, the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks reportedly hold interest in acquiring the 23-year-old. He needs a fresh start elsewhere, as he’s found himself in a spot of little to no usage in the Warriors’ rotation.
Golden State has until the Feb. 5 trade deadline to get a deal, but that could come with hurdles as the team is looking to get expiring deals in return. Ultimately, time will tell whether Kuminga will find the new NBA home he needs to kickstart his career.
