The San Antonio Spurs made their first win-now moves of the Victor Wembanyama era this summer, signing Chris Paul and acquiring Harrison Barnes to add veteran help around the generational French center. Both players will help them take steps forward but don’t make the Spurs into a future contender. They still need to add more pieces that can grow alongside Wembanyama to build a dynasty in the near future.
There are possible deals that can be explored for young stars around the NBA, with many stars from the 2021 NBA Draft Class potentially being shopped as their home teams aren’t sure about the extensions they want to hand out. Jonathan Kuminga is one such player, and the Spurs can make the Warriors part with Kuminga easily with a sizable trade offer.
Trade Details
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Jonathan Kuminga
Golden State Warriors Receive: Keldon Johnson, 2027 First-Round Pick (ATL), 2028 First-Round Pick (SAS), 2025 Second-Round Pick (SAS)
This deal would add a dynamic two-way wing next to Wembanyama for the long haul, as Kuminga is still just 21 years old. His two-way play would be an excellent fit into the Spurs ethos, with the team’s culture possibly helping him work through some of the alleged maturity concerns that people have had with him in Golden State.
The Spurs Add A Future Star Into A Win-Now Program
The Spurs have shown a desire to be a Playoff-caliber team with the veterans they’ve brought in this season. As a result, the most obvious trade targets for the Spurs have been established young stars with a questionable future, such as Darius Garland or Trae Young. Instead, we should look to pair Wembanyama up with a star who is still years away from reaching his peak so the team can continue developing their stars at their own pace.
Kuminga averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds last season in a topsy-turvy season where the forward had to publicly threaten the franchise to get consistent minutes. They’ve shown a desire to build with him, but Kuminga was reportedly floated into both trade offers for Lauri Markkanen and Paul George, with the team prioritizing Brandin Podziemski as an untouchable prospect. If the Warriors get a win-now player like Keldon Johnson while adding multiple future picks, the team would look solid.
The Spurs would create a very strong defensive lineup with Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan starting alongside Wembanyama and Kuminga, with Chris Paul running the show as point guard. This is a team that could genuinely push to be a top-six seed, provided Kuminga continues progressing as a player his age does. Even if the results aren’t instant, the Spurs have a few years to perfect what they want.
The Warriors Consolidate Assets To Re-Tool Around Stephen Curry
The Warriors have made multiple moves this offseason to make up for the team’s failure to reach the Playoffs last season and the departure of Klay Thompson. While a cast of veteran players have joined the team as Klay’s replacements, the team is banking on youngsters like Podziemski to find their place as role-players around Curry.
That is a role Keldon Johnson could thrive in, averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season after falling out of favor with Gregg Popovich. Johnson can do everything a coach would ask but has inconsistencies that make his play have dramatic peaks and troughs. However, he’s a solid piece to add to the team while also receiving multiple first-round picks for a player entering his fourth year and still considered raw.
The Warriors have a massive dilemma headed their way with an extension for Kuminga. He won’t have the latitude in Golden State to show off his skills the way Franz Wagner and Evan Mobley did to receive max contracts, meaning it’s in his best financial interests to also find a team where he could have a bigger role. The Spurs are precisely that and offer a great return package that the team could use for additional deals to re-tool the roster around Stephen Curry.
What Grade Should This Trade Be?
This trade does help both teams find clarity in their team-building strategies, but there are almost no downsides for one party while plenty of risks for the other.
San Antonio Spurs: A
The Spurs have very little to complain about in this deal. The picks they give up shouldn’t cause the franchise to stress, as their own pick will likely convey when Wembanyama is entering his peak. The Hawks pick might turn out to be more valuable but it’s the price to pay for a considerable long-term upgrade on Keldon Johnson, a player the team has already been phasing out of their core.
The only risk the Spurs are taking here is on Kuminga being a malleable personality who can accept being the No. 2 prospect on a franchise with Wembanyama. He might even take time to unseal Devin Vassell within the team’s hierarchy, which could cause issues on and off the court. Even if that happens, the team can easily pivot in a different direction as they’ll still be loaded with draft assets.
Golden State Warriors: B-
The first instinct of many could be to hate on this deal given how the Warriors have protected Kuminga through recent trade windows. However, there is a clear surplus in value they’re receiving at the moment with two picks and a rotational NBA player for a high-potential prospect who has made slow progress in the last four seasons. They’re getting a price that’s beyond the abilities we have seen of him but a bet on the value he could provide as a developing star.
The Warriors could take this trade package and bolster themselves with assets for the next star to become available. A star player becomes available in the NBA every season, as recent history has indicated. These picks and the other young assets could be valuable if the front office treats them correctly, but this is a deal where the Warriors are taking on a lot more risk given Stephen Curry is in his twilight and mistakes could ruin their chances of contending with him before he retires.
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