Stephen Curry previously called the Golden State Warriors 'very mid.' Approaching the halfway point of the 2024-25 season, the Warriors sit exactly at .500 with a 20-20 record. That's as mid as it gets. Although Curry is 36 and Draymond Green is 34, the Warriors -- Curry, Green, and Steve Kerr in particular -- have expressed that they don't want to sacrifice their future to go all in with their current roster.
"The beautiful part about being in the space that we're in is, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and myself all disagree with mortgaging off the future of this organization, saying that we're going for it right now. Bad teams do that. Bad organizations do that," Green told Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill.
What Green said aligns with recent intel from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who mentions that Golden State is 'reluctant to part with Jonathan Kuminga.'
"Amid Golden State's trade market inquiries, prized young forward Jonathan Kuminga – who's out with a sprained right ankle and eligible for restricted free agency this summer – remains a player Golden State is reluctant to part with," wrote Scotto.
The Warriors are reluctant are trade Jonathan Kuminga
The Warriors may still upgrade their mid roster before the Feb. 6 deadline, but this suggests that any move will be relatively minor rather than an aggressive all-in trade. Although the Blazers landing Kuminga may have already been a long shot, it's an unfortunate update that essentially confirms they won't be landing him.
Kuminga would have been an ideal trade target for Portland. His shooting is gradually improving, connecting at a 34.5 percent clip from beyond the arc this season. If Kuminga can pair a reliable shot with his elite athleticism, he possesses legitimate All-Star potential.
In past deals, Blazers GM Joe Cronin has proven that he's willing to sacrifice draft capital for a promising young player who fits their rebuilding timeline, such as Deni Avdija. Kuminga would have also fit that mold, but it appears he is no longer an option for Portland.
The polarizing Zion Williamson is the most high-risk, high-reward player potentially available on the market who would fit into Portland's timeline. If Cronin wants to play it safer, Indiana's Jarace Walker is another player that makes sense for the Blazers to target.
It remains to be seen who they end up pursuing, but one thing for certain is that the Blazers still need to bolster their wing rotation. And with Kuminga seemingly off the table, they'll have to look elsewhere to address that issue.