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The Golden State Warriors are reportedly planning to trade Jonathan Kuminga quickly after he’s first eligible on Jan. 15.
The problem is it appears not many teams want him.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick said on Tuesday that the Sacramento Kings are still interested. A couple weeks ago, Marc Stein wrote that the Chicago Bulls are a team to watch for Kuminga.
I can’t think of another credible report that suggests other teams want Kuminga.
With that said, Kuminga’s contract is structured in a team-friendly way, and if the Warriors attach high-value draft capital, a team that doesn’t want Kuminga could still accept a trade with Kuminga in it.
Still, the easiest solution is for Kuminga to end up on a team that wants him.
The Bulls and Kings don’t have wing players who the Warriors would want, so it’s becoming increasingly likely that the Kuminga trade will involve at least three teams.
Here are three three-team trades that make sense.
Golden State Gets Big Wing Scorer
Warriors Get: Michael Porter Jr., Julian Phillips
Nets Get: Coby White, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield, 2026 first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 first-round pick (via Warriors)
Bulls Get: Jonathan Kuminga
This would be easier if the Nets wanted Kuminga, but Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney reported that they have “never been enamored with him,” so here we are.
Instead, the Nets get Coby White, who they could extend to be one of their starting guards of the future.
But the main draw for this trade idea is getting two first-round picks from the Warriors, including an unprotected 2028 first that they would hope becomes a top-five pick as Golden State’s best players age out.
Michael Porter Jr. might just be worth that price. He’s averaging 25.8 points per game on 49.6 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from three. No player currently on the trade market would improve the team’s offense more.
Thompson, Gafford Bolster Dubs’ Roster
Warriors Get: Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson
Kings Get: Jonathan Kuminga
Mavericks Get: Malik Monk, Buddy Hield, 2026 Second-Round Pick (via Kings), 2032 Second-Round Pick (via Warriors)
Klay Thompson has a year-and-a-half left on his contract, and now that the Dallas Mavericks are likely to purge their roster to rebuild around Cooper Flagg, Thompson is a prime trade deadline candidate.
So in this construction, they get Malik Monk, who would likely be easier to trade this offseason than Thompson, and Buddy Hield, who they can cut in the offseason to clear cap space.
But still, the Mavs might not feel incentivized enough, as Daniel Gafford has plenty of standalone value.
So they get a bit of draft compensation from both teams to put them over the top.
Gafford would start at center for the Warriors. Thompson would come off the bench and give the Warriors much-needed shooting.
Golden State Lands Best Big on the Market
Warriors Get: Ivica Zubac
Jazz Get: Jonathan Kuminga
Clippers Get: Taylor Hendricks, Cody Williams, Svi Mykhailiuk, 2026 first-round pick (via Warriors), 2028 first-round pick (via Warriors)
The Clippers (11-21) are probably one Kawhi Leonard injury away from being major sellers at the trade deadline. Ivica Zubac would bring back the best return.
In theory, the Clippers could accept a trade package in which they get Kuminga and two first-round picks, but they might actually prefer to get even younger than Kuminga (23) once they decide to hit the reset button.
So instead they get more recent lottery picks Taylor Hendricks (22) and Cody Williams (21), who aren’t yet making the kind of money Kuminga is.
Meanwhile, the Jazz could be a sneaky Kuminga suitor. They have plenty of shooting with Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen and Ace Bailey in their starting five, but they could use someone with Kuminga’s driving ability. As an added bonus, their starting lineup next year, including currently injured center Walker Kessler, would be huge.
The Warriors have to surrender two first-round picks to get Zubac, who could be the best all-around player on this year’s trade market. That’s a fair price for a player with the best non-rookie contract in the league, as he’s in the first year of a three-year, $58.7 million contract.