Jonathan Kuminga Reportedly Demands Trade From Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has demanded a trade away from the team on the very first day he became eligible to be moved, according to ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.

The news comes as little surprise given the rocky relationship between Kuminga, head coach Steve Kerr, and the organization over the past several months.

Kuminga signed a two-year, $46.8 million contract with the Warriors in late September, but he could not be traded until January 15th due to NBA rules.

The 23-year-old wasted no time making his intentions clear, and now the Warriors (22-19) have until the February 5th trade deadline to find a deal that works for all parties involved.

The tension between Kuminga and Kerr has been building for quite some time.

After starting the first 12 games of the season, Kuminga was moved to the bench following a rough stretch of play and eventually fell out of the rotation entirely.

He has not seen the floor in the Warriors' past 13 games, logging 13 straight DNP-CDs (Did Not Play - Coach's Decision).

Kerr has spoken publicly about the situation, saying he was disappointed things did not continue the way they did in the first couple weeks.

However, ESPN's sources indicate that Kuminga felt the constant shuffling between starter and benchwarmer destroyed any chance for him to build confidence or find a rhythm with his teammates.

On January 2nd against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kerr said he planned to use Kuminga while the starters rested, but the forward ruled himself out with back soreness an hour before tipoff.

Multiple team sources told reporters they suspected Kuminga was not actually hurt, with one Warriors player siding with Kuminga and saying it was clear the coach no longer believed in him.

Several teams have shown interest in the 6-foot-7 forward, though the market has not been as strong as Golden State had hoped.

The Sacramento Kings have maintained the most consistent interest, having pursued Kuminga during restricted free agency over the summer and continuing trade talks ever since.

Sacramento's front office told Kuminga they view him as a potential All-Star who would receive a high usage rate with them.

The Dallas Mavericks have also shown interest as they look to add young talent around rookie sensation Cooper Flagg.

The Mavericks and Warriors have discussed potential deals that could benefit both sides.

Other teams mentioned include the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and Washington Wizards, though none have made offers that have caught Golden State's attention.

The Warriors are reportedly seeking expiring contracts in return for Kuminga and have turned down the idea of taking on long-term salary.

This has been the main sticking point in talks with Sacramento, as Golden State refuses to absorb the three years and $60.4 million left on Malik Monk's deal.

Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and won a championship with the Warriors during his rookie season.

He showed flashes of his potential last May during Golden State's playoff run, averaging 24.3 points on 55.6 percent shooting in the final four games of their second-round series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This season, however, Kuminga's numbers have dropped significantly.

In just 18 games played, he is averaging 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 43.1% from the field and 32.0% from three-point range.

Nearly everyone within the Warriors organization agrees that trading Kuminga before the deadline is the best path forward.

Kuminga has the pure physical ability to be a legitimate asset to an organization, but with his mental flaws and unstable relationship with the Warriors, there should be uncertainty. 

With just over three weeks until the trade deadline, all eyes will be on general manager Mike Dunleavy to see if he can find a deal that helps Golden State's veteran core make one more run at a championship.