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“I feel like I’m at the point where that has to be my priority, to just be one of the guys a team relies on. Aiming to be an All-Star. Multiple times. Aiming to be great… I’ve never got that chance.” That’s the sound of a player who’s done waiting. For a guy who was supposed to be the future of the Golden State Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga’s brutally honest confession laid bare the frustration that has been simmering for months. After a season that saw his role shrink following the arrival of Jimmy Butler, Kuminga wants a fresh start. And he’s not being quiet about it.

The standoff between the 22-year-old and the Warriors has become one of the most fascinating dramas of the NBA offseason. Kuminga’s camp is reportedly looking for a contract in the neighborhood of $25-30 million per year. The Warriors? They’re not willing to go as high. The message, according to NBA insider Brett Siegel, is clear: Kuminga’s camp has made it known they “don’t want to be back with Warriors.”

So why is he still in limbo? The market for Kuminga has been surprisingly quiet. A potential sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls fizzled out after the Bulls sent Lonzo Ball—a player the Warriors were reportedly interested in—to Cleveland. The Warriors, for their part, have shown little interest in a deal centered around Nikola Vucevic. Complicated CBA rules that limit the salary the Warriors can take back in a sign-and-trade have only made things messier.

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But now, a new, intriguing possibility has emerged from the East. On a recent episode of the Celtics Beat podcast, the idea of trading for Kuminga was floated as a potential solution to Boston’s frontcourt problems, specifically in a deal centered around guard Anfernee Simons. “If you’re telling me this team that has so many issues in the front court is getting rid of him [Simons] and you’re finding a way to bring in Jonathan Kuminga—that I’m on board for in a heartbeat,” said host Adam Kaufman. “I would love to see—I like Kuminga. I enjoyed watching him in Golden State. I think he’s a good young player… absolutely sign me up.”

Kaufman’s logic, while speculative, is sound. The Celtics are facing a “pseudo-tank season” with Jayson Tatum expected to miss the entire year with an Achilles injury. Trading a high-priced guard like Simons, who is on a $27.7 million expiring contract, for a young, high-upside forward like Kuminga would address their glaring need for frontcourt depth and give them a potential long-term piece to build around when Tatum returns. For a team that wants to remain competitive and watchable, swapping a player who doesn’t fit their long-term timeline for one who does makes a lot of sense.

But before Celtics fans could start photoshopping Kuminga into a green jersey, The Athletic’s Jared Weiss jumped in with a dose of cold water. “And let’s be clear—I don’t think Kuminga is coming to Boston,” he said, explaining that Kuminga is more of a “placeholder” for the type of versatile forward the Celtics need. For Boston, the primary goal this offseason is getting under the luxury tax, a move that makes a big-money sign-and-trade for Kuminga highly unlikely. Still, the fact that a team with Boston’s pedigree is even mentioning his name is a sign of the immense talent and potential that has the Warriors, and the rest of the league, in such a complicated position.

What’s your perspective on:

Is Jonathan Kuminga the missing piece for the Celtics, or just another overhyped young talent?

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While the Kuminga saga plays out, an even bigger question looms over the Warriors: what is going on with Steve Kerr?

Steve Kerr’s uncertain future might be Kuminga’s last hope

Steve Kerr has just one year left on his contract, and the silence from the front office has been deafening. As Warriors insiders Marcus Thompson and Tim Kawakami noted, “Hey, Steve Kerr’s only signed for one more season… I think that’s something the Vegas people are very aware of.”

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For a franchise that has been defined by stability, the uncertainty is jarring. Kerr, for his part, seems open to a return. “If they want me back, I’d probably say yes,” he said in a recent interview. “How could I say no to the Warriors, Steph, and Draymond?” But the fact that a deal isn’t already done suggests a potential fracture in what was once the league’s most solid foundation.

So how does this all connect back to Kuminga? It might just be his last lifeline. It’s no secret that Kuminga has struggled to find a consistent role under Kerr. A new coach could mean a new system, a new philosophy, and a new chance for a player with his unique talents to finally thrive. But if the Warriors are planning to extend Kerr and keep their core together, they’re facing a serious problem.

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USA Today via Reuters

As Thompson and Kawakami pointed out, the Warriors are in a helpless situation with Kuminga’s contract. “You cannot trade him on a one-year deal,” they explained. If the Warriors can’t find a trade partner and Kuminga plays out the season on his qualifying offer, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and the Warriors risk losing him for nothing.

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The solution, as they see it, is a counterintuitive one: sign him to a multi-year deal, even if it’s for more than they want to pay, just to make him a tradable asset. It’s a complicated, messy situation with no easy answers, a perfect reflection of a dynasty that is suddenly looking very, very fragile.

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Is Jonathan Kuminga the missing piece for the Celtics, or just another overhyped young talent?

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