Even though they didn’t give him much playing time early on, the Golden State Warriors have always had big plans for Jonathan Kuminga.
He seemed to be one of the few untouchable players in trade talks, and he finally showed glimpses of greatness last season when given an expanded opportunity.
However, he was also rumored to be available if that meant getting Paul George, meaning the Warriors may have softened their stance regarding a trade.
And with all the rumors about the Warriors looking to get Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz, radio host Daryle ‘The Guru’ Johnson claimed the Warriors should absolutely move Kuminga to get him (via 95.7 The Game).
Would you trade Jonathan Kuminga for Lauri Markkanen?@DDDGURU: "In a Texas second."
Steiny: "No."
(@MorningRoast957 x @SteinyGuru957 x @WillardAndDibs)
? https://t.co/n2w3eLCbTH pic.twitter.com/NyQJeCHvnR
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) July 8, 2024
While he acknowledged that he loves Kuminga and his upside, he believes the Warriors must make moves to help Stephen Curry win another championship now, not in the future.
He sees the 27-year-old Finnish forward as a player who could help them win right away, and the Warriors may not be able to afford to wait for Kuminga to fulfill his potential.
On the one hand, Kuminga has never seemed comfortable in the Bay area.
He publically called out Steve Kerr, which isn’t what one would expect from a young player, and Draymond Green once admitted that he didn’t even know how to talk to him, in the sense that he always kept to himself.
Then again, Kuminga’s upside is significantly higher than Markkanen’s, who’s pretty much a finished product at this point.
Also, Kuminga can play on both ends of the floor, and Markkanen can’t, so this should be a very complicated decision for Mike Dunleavy Jr., assuming it’s an actual possibility.
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