The Golden State Warriors may be revisiting an old draft crush, and it could cost them one of their most promising young players. According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Warriors have expressed interest in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey and are open to exploring a sign-and-trade deal that would involve Jonathan Kuminga.
“Golden State would be interested, depending on how the machinations could go in some kind of Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade,” Fischer said.
The Warriors’ connection to Giddey traces back to the 2021 Draft. That night, Golden State was considering drafting the Australian guard when the Thunder picked him up with the sixth pick.
“The Warriors were prepared on draft night in 2021 for Jonathan Kuminga to go No. 6 to Oklahoma City, and they were ready to take Josh Giddey at No. 7. Of course, the order was flipped,” said Fischer on a live stream. “Giddey went No. 6 to OKC, and the Warriors happily took Kuminga. But there’s very much a world where the Warriors would have taken Giddey at seven if Kuminga was off the board.”
The Jonathan Kuminga standoff has been a big story for Golden State this summer. Their entire offseason has been brought to a standstill as they try to work out a deal for their disgruntled young swingman. While the Warriors are seeking a two-year contract with a team option, Kuminga wants a player option to give himself more control of his basketball future. Of course, he’s also after at least $30 million per year, a number the Warriors have yet to match.
This comes after a season where Kuminga’s role was inconsistent in the rotation, thanks to Steve Kerr’s heightened standards for the budding young star.
With no end in sight to the standoff, the Warriors could look to the Bulls, who now control Giddey’s rights, to help them revisit their 2021 draft interest. In 70 games for the Bulls last season, Giddey averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game on 46.5% shooting. He started all but one game for Chicago and helped them improve in several areas on the court.
In San Francisco, Giddey could elevate his game to a whole new level. With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, he could either slide in as the starting shooting guard or accept a role off the bench behind Buddy Hield. Between his size, vision, and versatility, Giddey could provide a valuable boost to the Warriors’ rotation and might help them compete with the best in the West.
At this point, a sign-and-trade agreement is not yet imminent, but it makes sense for both sides, given how current negotiations are going with their restricted free agents. With the situation expected to drag out until September, the Warriors will have plenty of time to rethink their approach to the Kuminga talks and finally accept an offer that allows everyone to move on.
Ultimately, this potential sign-and-trade would be a full-circle moment for both Giddey and the Warriors, a chance to align with the original draft vision that never came to be. For Kuminga, it would represent a fresh start with a team more willing to invest in his growth and meet his contract demands. While nothing is imminent, the groundwork is there, and if both sides are ready to move on, this could be the kind of win-win deal that reshapes the Western Conference playoff race in 2026.
