Trade talks around the Dallas Mavericks may continue with a Western Conference power potentially parting ways with a promising talent.
The Dallas Mavericks have yet to show their cards regarding plans to attack the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, especially as they pertain All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who will miss the next few months with ligament damage in his hand.
While Eastern Conference teams have been reported interested in looking to take advantage of the parity in the postseason race by trading for Davis, the Golden State Warriors in the West have also been mentioned as they try to field a veteran-laden lineup for one last push to get Stephen Curry another championship.
Now an intriguing domino falls in the Bay Area just in time for the trade talks to ramp up.
The Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga, an athletic wing who's shown solid scoring ability, has requested a trade from Golden State, the team who drafted him No. 7 overall in 2021.
There is mutual interest early here between Kuminga and Dallas, to the point that ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon has found out that the Mavs have held a meeting specifically about the 23-year-old forward.
"It's an interesting deal because he is a former lottery pick who has shown glimpses but has not earned Steve Kerr's trust over the years," MacMahon said this week. "At 6-7 and athletic, he has shown the ability to score and is still very young.
"He has a team option for $24 million next year, so another team, like the Mavericks, could make a trade for Kuminga. The price isn't high right now, and it's kind of a flyer for the rest of the season."
While other pieces would be included in a swap, the timelines make sense with Davis' trade value isn't very high either since his hand injury and trend of health concerns. That being said, Golden State, and any team for that matter, likely won't bite on a Davis deal unless there is some type of confirmation that he can return in time for the playoffs. That's likely what Dallas will be leading teams to believe, again, whether a trade materializes or not.
If Kuminga's option is declined, he's essentially treated as an expiring contract if he is traded this season, which is beneficial for a team like the Mavericks to give themselves time to see how things fit if they pulled the trigger.
In the last playoffs, Kuminga's potential was on full display averaging 24 points in the Warriors' second-round loss to the Timberwolves.
Kuminga averages 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this year, but has appeared in just 18 games. He averaged 15.7 points over the previous two seasons as he's been in and out (but mostly out) of Steve Kerr's lineup while he rookie contract nears a close. The trade demand now signals an imminent divorce.
Dallas future with Davis hinges on the decision to tank the rest of this season and get as high of draft pick as possible to roll into next season with a lineup of Davis, Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg at full strength for the first time, or kickstart the rebuild around Flagg by freeing up financials moving forward through a Davis trade - whether he's expected to see the court again this year or not.
If the latter ultimately takes shape - as many Mavs fans would like - Kuminga fits the mold as an inexpensive weapon with two-way potential to pair next to the phenom Flagg.