The Washington Wizards have reportedly emerged as a new potential trade suitor for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. According to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, “the Wizards entered the mix in the last 24 hours” as the team is targeting Kuminga for their rebuild.
Heat, Bulls, Bucks, Nets, Kings, Pelicans, And Wizards Want Kuminga
Slater also noted that the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Brooklyn Nets already have “varying levels of interest.” The Heat and Bulls are the “two likeliest outside suitors.”
If the Heat decided to trade for Kuminga, they created a $16 million trade exception on Tuesday when they agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Detroit Pistons for Duncan Robinson.
CHSN’s K.C. Johnson also reported Tuesday that there’s been no “traction” on the Bulls’ trade talks for Kuminga. The Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans have been linked to the former first-rounder as well.
New Orleans, however, will likely not trade for Kuminga because of salary cap concerns, while the Kings are reportedly interested in including Malik Monk in any outgoing trade deal.
“I’ve confirmed that the Pelicans hold an interest in Kuminga, but various team salary cap experts have pointed out to me that New Orleans has no easy route to take Kuminga on its books at his desired contract range,” NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Wednesday.
“The cap gymnastics needed to keep the Pelicans out of the luxury tax — which has been a perennial priority for ownership — are described as considerable. Sources say that Sacramento, meanwhile, would be interested in including Malik Monk in any outgoing trade package, but nothing substantial has materialized with the Warriors.”
Warriors Seek Young Player, First-Round Pick For Jonathan Kuminga
As for the Warriors’ asking price for Kuminga, Slater reported that they are seeking “a promising young player plus a first-round pick.” They’re still waiting for the best possible offer for the fourth-year wing.
The Warriors extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Kuminga last week, making him a restricted free agent. Golden State holds the right to match any offer and can also explore sign-and-trade options.
The Nets are the only team that can offer Kuminga a starting salary of $20 million or more, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. So this is precisely why a sign-and-trade could be in the works.
But if a sign-and-trade agreement never happens, there’s a feeling within the NBA that Kuminga could return to the Warriors next season on a “short-term” contract, per Fischer.
Injuries limited Kuminga to 47 games (10 starts) with the Warriors in 2024-25. Despite missing nearly half the campaign, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest.
