The Golden State Warriors are currently locked in a tightly contested first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but the franchise's front office staff could already be focused on planning their course of action for what will be an extremely important offseason.
Golden State's general manager Mike Dunleavy will have to figure out how to navigate Jonathan Kuminga's impending restricted free agency, as the former No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft will likely command a salary in the range of $25 million.
Due to Kuminga's apparent rift with head coach Steve Kerr and subsequent removal from the team's lineup to begin their postseason run, his eventual exit looks to be on the horizon.
If that is the case, recent reports have indicated that Dunleavy could aim to get value out of the athletic forward via sign-and-trade by shipping Kuminga to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for their scoring combo-forward Cameron Johnson this summer.
"Kuminga has shown flashes during his career and could develop and reach his full potential on a team like the Nets," ClutchPoints' Ben Cooper wrote Thursday afternoon.
"For Golden State, adding a 3-and-D forward in Johnson would fit well in a lineup alongside Stephen Curry, (Jimmy) Butler, and Draymond Green."
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"His shooting and defense fit way better than Kuminga does in the Warriors' lineup."
In an interesting trade proposal, Cooper posits Golden State as a great destination for the experienced forward, while the rebuilding Nets would receive Kuminga and a 2029 first-round pick with a top-5 protection.
If Golden State were to contact the Nets with the idea of swapping out their rising star for an established veteran, it would make plenty of sense.
At 29 years old, Johnson enjoyed a fantastic offensive season for a brutal 26-56 Nets squad, as he contributed 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while knocking down 39.0% of his 7.2 three-point attempts in 2024-25.
The 6-foot-8 distance shooting threat and solid two-way force could potentially make life easier for the superstar trio of Curry, Butler and Green, and it may be in Dunleavy's best interests to explore a deal of this nature if the team wishes to remain competitive in the present.