The Jonathan Kuminga trade saga has plagued the Warriors since the end of last season. Recent reports have suggested that the Warriors forward will be traded before the February 5th trade deadline, but a dream scenario for the Warriors would be to include him in a trade package for Michael Porter Jr.
According to Brett Siegel, the Warriors’ insider for ClutchPoints, the Nets forward is a primary target for the Warriors, who are also in the race to trade for Trey Murphy III if the Pelicans decide to move him.
“Early signals from the Warriors are that they do not want to trade more than one first-round pick for Porter, especially since such a move would involve trading Kuminga and Moses Moody,” wrote Siegel in his latest report.
“Speaking of Moody, the Warriors are very open to trading him before the deadline, as he hasn’t taken the step forward many in the front office had hoped for.”
“Porter appears to be at the top of the Warriors’ list right now if they can land him for Kuminga, Moody, Buddy Hield, and a first-round pick. Whether this is an adequate value for the Brooklyn Nets and whether that organization will even trade him over the next three weeks is the big question.”
Siegel later clarified on X that while the negotiations are ongoing between the two sides, no official offer has yet been made from either side. The Warriors are only hoping to land Michael Porter Jr. at this point in a package that includes Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, and the 2028 first-round pick (GSW), but haven’t yet made the offer.
Porter Jr. is making a serious case for an All-Star selection this season individually. He is currently averaging 25.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 39.7% from the three-point line.
In the second round of the fan-voting for the All-Star weekend, Porter Jr. was ninth among all players in the East with 304,316 votes. The only thing that may stop him from being an All-Star this season is the fact that the Nets are currently 11-25 for the season. Therefore, someone else could still be selected over him.
The former NBA champion has never before been selected for the All-Star weekend, but just that he’s in the conversation for the first time in nearly nine seasons shows the leap he has taken as a player this season after leaving the Nuggets.
It would be a dream scenario for the Warriors to replace Buddy Hield with Michael Porter Jr. in their regular rotations. But the Warriors will also be giving up a significant portion of their young talent with Moody and Kuminga in that package.
The Warriors’ front office has been willing to trade Kuminga for a while now. But if the Nets’ front office agrees to consider such a hypothetical offer for Porter Jr, the Warriors’ front office will have to make a cold business decision on Moody as well.
