Heading into the playoffs, it’s no secret that Jonathan Kuminga, a high-impact contributor to start the year, is trending toward a divorce with the Golden State Warriors.
Landing Jimmy Butler on Feb. 5 turned the 6-foot-7 forward into a Warriors misfit when he returned from a nagging ankle injury in March.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey predicts the Dubs will swap Kuminga for a Sacramento Kings center who averaged 10.4 points per contest this season in a massive three-team trade.
"A rebuilding team like the (Washington) Wizards may be loathe to include a draft pick, but Kuminga is the biggest individual prize in this deal,” Bailey wrote Friday.
"And at 22 years old, he's likely to be younger than some of the players taken in this summer's draft. Golden State extracting a first from someone (in this case, Washington) for Kuminga wouldn't be shocking.”
"From there, the Warriors are losing a rotation player in Buddy Hield (who's been less consistent for them than he was at previous stops) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (who, at 25, is older than you think and has already been mostly replaced by Quinten Post).”
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"In their place would be Jonas Valanciunas and Corey Kispert. The former turns 33 next month and plays a ground-bound, post-heavy style that may seem antithetical to Warriors basketball, but he could be a heat-check scorer against reserves (think 2019-20 Montrezl Harrell, but with post-ups and dives to the basket) and has long been an underrated passer (3.2 assists per 75 possessions over the last four seasons).”
In Bailey’s massive three-time trade proposal, the Warriors would receive Kispert, Valanciunas, and a top-5 protected 2031 first-round pick (via the Wizards), the Wizards would receive Kuminga (sign-and-trade) and Malik Monk, and the Kings would receive Marcus Smart, Hield, Saddiq Bey, Jackson-Davis, and a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick from the Wizards (via the Warriors).
Valanciunas began the year with the Wizards but was traded to the Kings on Feb. 5.
Considering Valanciunas’ scoring and rebounding numbers were down this year, it’s safe to suggest the ex-Toronto Raptors big man didn’t have the best season on the hardwood.
Valanciunas averaged 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds with the Wizards and 8.7 points to go with 7.0 rebounds with the Kings. The former first-round pick averaged 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds for the season.
Still, Valanciunas possesses an offensive skill set that could pay dividends for the Warriors.
As a back-to-the-basket big man who doesn’t rush his low-post moves or fall for manipulation tactics, the 13-year veteran can still serve as a serviceable frontcourt asset in the big leagues.
If Kuminga doesn’t turn things around in the Bay during the playoffs, Bailey’s fascinating trade proposal could be considered by the Dubs this summer.
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