Jonathan Kuminga’s Bay Area stint will soon end. The young forward has already asked for a trade after not getting any game time since December 18. He began this season as a starter, but injuries and a poor run of form saw him demoted and later chucked out of the rotation. Amid this fiasco, old texts between Draymond Green and former Golden State Warriors president Bob Myers have gone viral. The veteran, however, continues to stand by his recommendations.

For the uninitiated, Kuminga and Moses Moody were Green’s draft suggestions back in 2021. He didn’t even provide an explanation to Myers, but only dropped two one-word texts followed by a thumbs-up early in the morning from Tokyo.

“I would always give suggestions in drafts and free agency and all of that stuff, that’s what you do when you have successful teams,” the floor general explained on The Draymond Green Show. “And yes, I still believe and love the Jonathan Kuminga pick and Moses Moody pick.”

While Moody has worked out fine for the Warriors, Green is receiving backlash for suggesting Kuminga. However, before this season’s fallout with head coach Steve Kerr, the 23-year-old star was considered a designated starter. He still has a lot of potential and could succeed elsewhere with a fresh start.

In his fifth season with the franchise, Kuminga is averaging only 11.8 points while shooting 43.1% from the field across 18 appearances. He is desperate to secure a trade. Despite his lackluster shooting after injury, Green continues to back his young teammate, implying that it was a no-brainer for the Warriors to pick Kuminga with their 7th pick in 2021.

“What we do is an inexact science, that’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes,” Green said. “If you wouldn’t have drafted JK with the seventh pick, you’re an idiot.”

On the other hand, Moody has established himself as a key piece for the Warriors, starting 30 of 41 games this season. That said, what does the future hold for Kuminga?

Green believes Jonathan Kuminga has a bright NBA career ahead of him

There’s a reason Draymond Green convinced the Warriors to draft Kuminga. They recognized his raw potential and felt that he could elevate the roster long term. He showed promise in the initial few years, and after tipping off the 2025-26 season strongly, it appeared that he was here to stay with a bigger role.

Kuminga had a good stretch of games in March 2024 as well. That’s when he also told the media that he wanted to be a “Warrior for life.” He idolized the holy trinity of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green and imagined his career taking a similar route.

Green, however, still feels that Kuminga has a lot left to give to the NBA.

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“Love those guys (Kuminga & Moody). And they both got bright futures in this league,” Green added. “I will continue to watch them fulfill those futures, fulfill their dreams, reach their level of greatness, whatever that level of greatness within them is… I will continue to be big fans of their journeys.”

Kuminga’s athleticism, versatility, defensive hustle, and rebounding have put him in good standing in the trade window. There’s been a dearth of wing options. However, his recent form may deter a few teams from pursuing him.

As per recent rumors and projected trades by experts, franchises like the Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and even the Los Angeles Lakers could be in the race for the young forward.

The return package is equally crucial for the Warriors, who will look for a dual shooter/shot creator to carry the load in Curry’s absence.