Although the Golden State Warriors boast a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets, one concerning issue the organization must soon address.
Jonathan Kuminga is no longer a solid fit with the Dubs, forcing Golden State to make a pivotal decision regarding his future with the franchise in the upcoming months.
Sports Illustrated’s Kyler Fox predicts the Warriors will swap Kuminga (sign-and-trade candidate) for a 29-year-old Brooklyn Nets star this summer.
“The Warriors offered Kuminga a five-year, $150 million deal before this past season—an extension which he declined, opting to bet on himself—but will likely command between $20-25 million on the open market,” Fox wrote Sunday.
“Depending on his performance in Golden State's postseason run, that number is subject to change. So, where does (Cameron) Johnson fit in?”
“Moving off of Johnson never made complete sense due to his value. He's still under the age of 30, averaged over 18 points per game in a year where he was primarily Brooklyn's number one offensive weapon and was set to carry a $20.5 million cap hit into the 2025-26 season.”
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“In an attempt to entice Golden State to allow Kuminga to walk, offering Johnson in a sign-and-trade would be an extremely shrewd move. The salaries are likely to be quite similar, and Kuminga plays the same position as Johnson while being seven years younger.”
Unsurprisingly, the rebuilding Nets failed to sniff the postseason this year following a 32-50 campaign in 2023-24.
Still, Brooklyn’s roster has talented assets capable of thriving in a competitive environment.
Johnson, who helped the Phoenix Suns reach the NBA finals in 2021, quietly enjoyed an impressive season with the Nets.
The North Carolina product’s ability to remain prepared in catch-and-shoot situations and occasionally attack poor closeouts on the perimeter was visible all year.
Johnson averaged 18.8 points per contest on 47.5% field goal shooting and 39.0% three-point shooting in 57 regular-season games.
Johnson was a popular trade target for the Warriors earlier this season, so with Kuminga struggling to crack Steve Kerr’s rotation in the postseason, the Dubs could reevaluate Johnson during free agency.
Fortunately for Kuminga, the Warriors will likely advance to the second round of the playoffs, giving the former lottery pick more time to prove he’s worthy of being a long-term investment in the Bay.
However, until a change is made, swapping Kuminga for Johnson remains a viable offseason option.
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