The Golden State Warriors‘ offseason has been marked by their ongoing contract discussions with restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. Despite several offers made, the 22-year-old remains unsigned.
This saga has hampered Golden State’s roster construction approach. Since negotiations have prevented the organization from making necessary roster additions, the Warriors’ front office has been questioned for its approach.
With the situation still in a stalemate, the Warriors may be running out of time. As the deadline to sign the qualifying offer is only a few days away, Golden State will need to make a move soon if they wish to retain the forward.
Although there has been significant trade interest in Kuminga, Golden State has maintained a strong stance on retaining him. But with the possibility of losing the forward for virtually nothing, the Warriors could benefit from considering an alternative approach.
With an opportunity to improve their guard depth, we look at a swap deal for Golden State to acquire Austin Reaves from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Proposed Trade Details:
Golden State Warriors Receive: Austin Reaves
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jonathan Kuminga
This trade idea is contingent on Kuminga’s eventual contract value. If the forward agrees to a sign-and-trade deal equivalent to the Warriors’ most recent offer, the Warriors’ may need to supplement this deal by adding draft capital. Should the forward accept the qualifying offer, a direct swap could be more feasible.
With this factors in mind, we examine how this trade would impact the teams involved.
How Does Acquiring Kuminga Help The Lakers?
While the initial assessment of this trade would be largely negative, there is merit for both teams involved.
For the Lakers, acquiring Kuminga could be an interesting venture. After losing out on the opportunity to acquire Andrew Wiggins this summer, Los Angeles could look in another direction to improve its wing depth. In this regard, acquiring the 22-year-old seems like a feasible strategy.
The young forward boasts incredible potential, and has positioned himself as a potential All-Star. He possesses tremendous physical tools, athleticism, and agility. Apart from his natural gifts and talent, Kuminga has displayed a versatile offensive skill set and impressive shot-creation ability.
Last season, he averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting 45.4% from the field and 30.5% from three. His average of 0.8 steals per game is also indicative of defensive potential, particularly with reading passing lanes.
Although his perimeter shooting and defensive contributions leave more to be desired, it is hard to overlook what he could bring to the table. Under the guidance of Lakers superstar LeBron James, the 22-year-old could transform into a lethal offensive threat.
Acquiring Kuminga also has merit from the point of view of the value he brings in return for Reaves.
Currently, Reaves is considered the third-best player on the Lakers’ roster. However, given that he is expected to decline his player option in search of a bigger contract, Los Angeles could risk seeing the guard walk away for free.
This would undoubtedly be detrimental to their efforts to construct a title-contending roster. On this note, acquiring a star-caliber player like Kuminga serves to keep the Lakers’ title window going, especially with Luka Doncic locked in for the foreseeable future.
What Is The Impact Of Reaves’ Arrival?
Similar to the Lakers, who would not wish to lose a key player without gaining anything in return, the Warriors stand to gain a lot by swapping Reaves for Kuminga.
Foremost, this trade has a major impact on the team’s salary cap situation. Considering the Warriors’ most recent contract offer to Kuminga, had they agreed on the deal, the Dubs would have taken on a cap hit of roughly $25 million annually.
In comparison, Reaves’ $13.9 million this season would provide Golden State with significant flexibility, allowing them to make the necessary signings to build their roster strength.
Acquiring the 27-year-old helps the Warriors strengthen their backcourt rotation. As constructed, Golden State has a major shortfall in their guard rotation, specifically with regard to ball-handlers and playmakers.
While Stephen Curry remains an incredibly reliable playmaker and ball-handler, the drop-off from him to Brandin Podziemski remains significant. In this regard, having Reaves step into the starting rotation to share playmaking duties could be beneficial.
Last season, the guard showed significant growth. For the 2024-25 season, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.7% from beyond the arc.
While embracing a bigger role on the offensive end, he demonstrated his ability to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Reaves’ overall production could be immensely worthwhile in helping Golden State emerge as a more competitive unit in the upcoming season.
The guard’s arrival also has implications for the future, which could be viewed positively or negatively.
As mentioned earlier, Reaves is expected to decline his player option next summer. With reports indicating that he could seek a contract worth upwards of $30 million annually, the Warriors could see merit in signing him long-term. But this would also require them to create the necessary cap space to do so, potentially forcing major roster moves.
What Does The Future Hold For Kuminga?
This week will be extremely crucial in deciding Jonathan Kuminga’s future.
Several reports have suggested that the forward is inclined to bet on himself and accept the qualifying offer. Due to Golden State’s insistence on including a team-option in the final year of every contract they have offered, the 22-year-old seems to be more willing to take his chances and test free agency next summer.
Meanwhile, trade rumors have resurfaced, as the Warriors have reportedly reopened negotiations with the Sacramento Kings.
With Malik Monk potentially being included in Sacramento’s package, several have viewed this trade idea favorably. But with the Warriors’ top brass expressing their intent in retaining Kuminga, there is no certainty as to what the future holds for the forward just yet.
