The Golden State Warriors haven’t had a good season so far, and the three-game loss has added to the woes. Jonathan Kuminga’s role has shrunk during that slide, sitting out two losses and logging just nine and a half minutes against Phoenix. As his on-court impact wanes and opportunities dry up, speculation has intensified, leaving his place in Golden State’s plans increasingly unclear.

Recently, Warriors coach Steve Kerr appeared in Tom Tolbert Show, where he was asked about the situation around Jonathan Kuminga. He addressed how it is not easy for players, especially those with family to be in constant trade chatter throughout the summer. Kerr equated the Kuminga situation with that of Andrew Wiggins from last year.

“Wiggs (Andrew Wiggins) was in the exact boat a year ago,” Kerr replied.

“He was about to have his third child right at the trade deadline. His name was floating out there, so we kinda go through this every year. I always try to talk to the guys about business and how it works. Only a very few players in NBA history have played for only one franchise. It is all part of the deal that you sign up for, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Surprisingly, the same Kerr wasn’t known for soft stances for Kuminga. Last season, the duo were vocal in public when it came to Kuminga’s position on the team.

“The lineup with Jimmy, Jonathan, and Draymond doesn’t fit real well, frankly. It just doesn’t. We need more spacing. We’ve found other lineups that have clicked, and this is just part of the deal, being in the NBA, and you’ve got to adapt to whatever’s happening with the team,” Kerr said last season, justifying his stance to keep the 22-year-old out of his minutes.

But now, with everything said, Kuminga is one of the potential candidates to get traded ahead of the February 5 deadline.

Although he started strong, things have gone downhill in recent times as he has been demoted from being a starter to a benchwarmer. He desperately needs a reset in his career, and therefore, the trade is crucial. However, it also needs to be an offer that the Warriors’ front office seems viable.

Steve Kerr refutes claims of having a personal vendetta against Warriors star Jonathan Kuminga

Jonathan Kuminga has featured in 18 games this season, and things were finally looking good for the fifth-year forward. Then came the knee injury, and ever since his return from that, his numbers dropped, his minutes dwindled, and his efficiency plummeted.

JK was demoted to the rotation and later to the bench and was also dropped from the gameday roster on some occasions. Now he has returned to rotation, but the situation hasn’t improved for the 23-year-old.

There have been rumors about Kerr having some personal issue with the forward, and hence, he is not selecting him even in rotation. However, the veteran coach has clearly denied such allegations.

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“That couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Kerr told during his recent appearance on 95.7 FM The Game’s Willard & Dibs. “We treat all of our players with the utmost dignity and respect. All we try to do is win. I’ve talked about this publicly; I don’t think it has been a secret. It has been a tricky fit at times.”

Overall, Kuminga has averaged 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game this season while shooting 43.1% from the field. He has played five of the last 10 games, where his average has gone down to 6.6 points and 5.0 rebounds, with only 28% shooting.

While a trade may seem ominous and fair for both parties, it eventually depends on Warriors owner Joe Lacob’s decision. Interestingly, he has some interest in Kuminga, which makes the matter even more complicated.

Which teams would be interested in Jonathan Kuminga?

Jonathan Kuminga signed a two-year contract with the Warriors this year worth $47 million. However, the 23-year-old is eligible to be traded without a restriction on January 15. They need to wait for another month, but it seems like this association of almost five years between the franchise and the youngster will eventually come to an end.

For now, a redemption arc at the Chase Center for Kuminga looks way beyond the realm of possibilities. However, he has shown in the past that he can be a useful scorer in a team that hands him a centralized role in offense. In the last two years, he has been averaging nearly 16 points per game over a decent stretch to attract multiple teams.

Teams like the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns could all use a player of Kuminga’s caliber. At least one of the five teams could take a chance on him, as he still has his best years to come. He is immensely athletic and has great scoring potential from beyond the arc, and with his drives to the rim.

Despite his expensive contract, he could be a valuable player in a different outfit, as plenty of them are looking for a quality wing option in the trade market. The Warriors could also use his potential and flip him for a player who could substantially help the Warriors.