The start of the new year in the NBA has been hectic, especially for the Golden State Warriors. They saw a report about 21-year-old Jonathan Kuminga having ‘lost faith’ in Steve Kerr, which has sparked trade rumors for the young star.
With Pascal Siakam being on the market and many talking about a Kuminga for Siakam deal, Paul George has weighed in and said it would be a win-win move for both the Warriors and Raptors.
“I saw them put in Pascal and Kuminga in a trade. I sat and thought about it and was like, that’s a win for both sides. Obviously, Golden State would have to add more just for contracts meeting up, He (Siakam) can be a No. 1 option, but I don’t think that’s where he’s the best at, him being the second or third option is where he can shine because he can do everything. I think it works perfectly playing with Steph and Klay… Kuminga coming into his own, Toronto is kinda in a rebuild but trying to get better and win now… You add another young guy like Kuminga, that’ll be a fun team for years to come.”
Paul George thinks a Jonathan Kuminga/Pascal Siakam trade would be a win-win trade for both sides
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 9, 2024
The possibility of a Kuminga for Siakam trade has already been rebuffed with a report suggesting that the Warriors don’t want to part with Kuminga. The team played Kuminga 36 minutes in a win over the Pistons following that report, with even Steve Kerr promising to give Kuminga more opportunities.
With Draymond Green returning to the Warriors, many are worried that Kuminga will lose him minutes once again as he and Draymond play the same position. Reports suggest that the Warriors plan on moving Andrew Wiggins to open up minutes for Kuminga, with the 21-year-old likely starting alongside Green.
He’s averaging 12.8 points and 4.1 rebounds this season despite limited opportunities.
Warriors Ownership Wants Jonathan Kuminga To Stay Happy
A coach usually controls all roster and lineup decisions down to a tee, as it’s their job to make sure the team runs the best it can. The Warriors’ struggles and Kuminga’s frustrations could be a big issue for the Warriors ownership. Owner Joe Lacob is the primary reason the franchise wants to appease Kuminga instead of trading him away, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.
“And a not insignificant detail is that Kuminga is said to have a very close relationship with Warriors owner Joe Lacob who has historically been reluctant to part with any of the young talent that represents the Warriors’ so-called ‘two-timelines’ strategy of meshing a group of young draftees with their established championship core.”
The two-timeline strategy brought the Warriors a championship before the young players were ready to contend. In the years since, two of those young players, James Wiseman and Jordan Poole, have already been moved. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are still on the franchise, but the two timelines likely won’t result in championship success anytime soon.
Moving off Wiggins to open up a solidified starter role for Kuminga will keep him happy and the two-timeline theory alive, but if Kerr feels like his influence is being stifled, this could just be the start of more problems for the 17-19 Golden State Warriors.
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