The writing is on the wall for Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors to part ways this offseason.
The Warriors made the right call to acquire Jimmy Butler for relatively cheap at the deadline and have a legitimate shot of making the Conference Finals because of it. However, that deal came at the expense of Kuminga's development.
Having Butler, Draymond Green, and Kuminga on the floor together isn't an efficient formula as it shrinks the floor too much, which is especially problematic in Steve Kerr's system, predicated on ball movement and getting shooters open.
Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz recently echoed the sentiment, highlighting how far Kuminga has fallen in Golden State's pecking order since the deal.
"When a team's 22-year-old, third-leading scorer is registering a DNP-coach's decision in the biggest games of the season, it might be a sign that a change is coming. Kuminga and the Warriors already failed to agree on a contract extension last fall. With the No. 7 overall pick of the 2021 draft now headed into restricted free agency, both parties should be working on a resolution where he gets paid somewhere else, and Golden State receives some talent back in return," wrote Swartz.
Swartz proposes a solution where Kuminga, along with Moses Moody, wind up in Portland to help bolster their young core. It comes at the expense of one of the Blazers' best players and someone they should consider trading: Anfernee Simons.
Blazers gamble on the Warriors' biggest developmental whiff
Kuminga has flaws, as does any 22-year-old player still figuring out his place in the league. But overall, he had a productive 2024-25 season, averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 45/31/67 shooting splits.
His poor shooting would be a concerning fit for a Blazers team that has ranked in the bottom five in three-point percentage the past two seasons. But if Portland were to do this deal, they could target additional shooters to help complement their young core. Moses Moody would also be an underrated addition and help in that department, shooting 37.4 percent from deep in his fourth season with Golden State.
Portland undoubtedly needs to add more shooters as soon as this summer, but a fatal roster flaw that limits their long-term ceiling is their lack of star power. Deni Avdija has emerged as their go-to option, but that's still not enough to compete with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic in the loaded Western Conference.
The Blazers are in a unique position in their rebuild after a surprising 36-win season, and there's a sense from general manager Joe Cronin that the playoffs are the expectation going forward. Portland's front office and fans alike are understandably eager to make that next jump, but they can't rush the process. They still need to be taking gambles on high-upside players to elevate their ceiling, and from that standpoint, there may be no better option in terms of value than Kuminga.
For the Warriors, Simons would be a seamless fit offensively as one of the most reliable shooters in the league and a seven-year veteran who is better equipped to win now.
Despite winning it all in 2022, Golden State's two-timeline approach hasn't gone according to plan, from the James Wiseman selection to Klay Thompson's decline and everything in between. They finally picked a direction by leaning into their veteran experience with the Butler trade, giving Curry and Green a puncher's chance at a fifth title.
The fallout from that decision is that Kuminga -- their highest-upside young player -- will likely end up elsewhere this summer. Golden State's young core is unraveling, and the Blazers need to be the ones to capitalize.