Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. Shares Jonathan Kuminga Trade Update

There was a sense that, when the calendar turned to January 15, the Golden State Warriors and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. might quickly do what had been expected of them since they first gave a new contract to forward Jonathan Kuminga last fall: Trade him. The new deal, signed after months of frustration in restricted free agency, had kicked in an NBA rule that prevented Kuminga from being dealt until mid-January. Amid all that, there was a faction of Warriors observers who assumed the team built up a menu of Kuminga trade options and could simply pick the one they wanted once the 15th arrived. Golden State would have been all for that–except that there was no menu. Around the league, executives have been saying that there just was not much of a market to be had for Kuminga, and that one might not develop until close to the February 5 trade deadline. When team GM addressed the media on Tuesday night, he delivered a quote highlighting that harsh reality. Warriors Have Found No Trade Market for Jonathan Kuminga Asked about the Warriors not trading Kuminga despite him making a trade demand on January 15, Dunleavy said, “As far as the demand, I’m aware of that. In terms of demands, when there’s a demand, there needs to be a demand on the market. So we’ll see how that unfolds.” In other words, teams have not been beating down the Warriors’ door to get Kuminga, who has had one known consistent suitor–the Kings–but who has not drawn an offer from the outside that the Warriors deemed worthy of consideration. There has been rumored interest in Kuminga from teams like the Mavericks, Lakers and Heat, but the issue there is that Kuminga is not a priority for any of them. They will address the deals they want to make first, and if nothing pans out at that level, perhaps Kuminga will be at the top of their lists. As Dunleavy said, we will have to wait to see how that unfolds. Jonathan Kuminga Pours in 20 Points In the meantime, after the ACL injury that ended the season of Warriors star Jimmy Butler, something completely out of left field happened, which has been the way with the Warriors and Kuminga all along: Kuminga got back on the floor on Tuesday night, his first game action since December 18. And he scored 20 points in 21 minutes, going 7-for-10 from the floor in an otherwise rough 145-127 loss to Toronto. The Butler injury would, in most circumstances, transform the situation on Kuminga, make him more valuable and necessary to the team as it stands. That would take him off the market altogether. But the Warriors’ relationship with Kuminga has been so fractured that it is unlikely that the team can unravel all that has been said and done on both sides, and a trade might be the only way through the situation. Warriors’ Mike Dunleavy: ‘Nothing Is Imminent’ on Trade Front Warriors coach Steve Kerr has long said that the reason Kuminga has lost his spot in the rotation with Golden State is that, in today’s league, the team can’t afford to play three guys who are dodgy shooters from the perimeter, and that’s the case with Butler, Draymond Green and Kuminga. With Butler out, there’s a spot for Kuminga. But there is likely too much water under that bridge, which Dunleavy said he regrets. “I’m disappointed it hasn’t worked out better. But it is what it is…” Dunleavy said. “I know a trade has been requested. But nothing is imminent. Things in this league can change in a heartbeat, as they did last night. So he’s gotta be ready.”