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The Golden State Warriors have continued to roll since their  of ex-Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler, as they’ve amassed an incredible 14-1 record in his first 15 games with the franchise.

Butler’s introduction to the lineup has worked wonders for an organization looking to capitalize on the final prime years of four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, and the re-integration of their 22-year-old rising forward Jonathan Kuminga after his 31-game injury absence is still in its early stages.

If Butler and Kuminga somehow prove to lack chemistry on the court for an extended period of time, have indicated that the latter could be floated in trade discussions by the franchise’s general manager Mike Dunleavy this season.

In fact, it’s been suggested that Golden State could ship their promising, athletic forward away via sign-and-trade to the lowly Utah Jazz in exchange for their fringe All-Star and experienced scorer John Collins to assist with extending Curry’s title window.

“The Warriors revived their season with the Jimmy Butler trade,” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote Friday.

“The veteran wing signed an extension as part of the deal, locking in the core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Butler through 2026-27.”

“The most significant decision the team has to make this offseason concerns Kuminga, who is expected to be well-compensated as a restricted free agent.”

“The team can keep him depending on his price, which may raise payroll as high as the second apron. Instead, the Warriors could execute a sign-and-trade to get value in return (with a second-apron hard cap).”

When it’s time for Kuminga to possibly re-sign with the Warriors, Pincus infers that the explosive star’s new contract could be used as trade bait to land Collins, who would certainly help Curry compete for a fifth title in the present.

At 27 years old, Collins is a playoff-tested and extremely versatile frontcourt force that has transformed into one of the most solid and efficient scorers in the NBA.

The 6-foot-9 forward has blossomed as a member of the Jazz, contributing 19.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while connecting on 52.7% of his attempts from the floor and knocking down 39.9% of his chances from distance in 40 appearances for the club this season.

By partnering Collins and Curry as a lethal 1-2 punch, their screening actions could be dangerous for opposing defenders thanks to Collins’ unreal athleticism and their combined shooting prowess.

As a wonderful rim-running lob threat, Collins’ hypothetical addition would give the team another option as a smart cutter and roller towards the basket

He’d also serve as a fantastic catch-and-shoot option from the corners in drive-and-kick situations, as he’s converted on a blistering 43.9% of his opportunities from that spot on the floor in 2024-25.

With the potential acquisition of Collins in exchange for Kuminga, the Warriors could garner status as a true contender in the Western Conference for the 2025-26 campaign and beyond.

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