Warriors predicted to part with Jonathan Kuminga, reunite Stephen Curry with 6-foot-9 forward
The Golden State Warriors’ 22-year-old forward, Jonathan Kuminga, is set to meet with interested teams in Las Vegas next week, assuming he doesn’t ink a new deal with the Dubs.
The Miami Heat are considered a realistic destination for the former lottery pick, who failed to earn Steve Kerr’s trust toward the end of his fourth NBA season.
ClutchPoints’ Garrett Kerman thinks the Warriors could part with Kuminga and reunite Stephen Curry with his former 6-foot-9 teammate, who finished the 2024-25 season with the Heat.
“To acquire Jonathan Kuminga, Miami must work within the NBA’s sign-and-trade rules for restricted free agents,” Kerman wrote Thursday.
“If Kuminga signs a new deal with the Warriors and is then traded, his outgoing salary counts at the new contract value, but the Warriors can only take back half that amount due to base-year compensation rules if they are over the cap. This makes the math tricky, but not impossible.”
“This deal gives Golden State a proven shooter in (Duncan) Robinson, an expiring contract in (Haywood) Highsmith, and valuable draft capital. For Miami, it’s a bold swing for a player who could be a franchise cornerstone.”
“The Heat may need to include additional second-rounders or a young player like Jovic to sweeten the pot, depending on market competition.”
Kerman’s trade proposal sends Kuminga to the Heat for Kyle Anderson, Highsmith, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick.
Anderson wasn’t a standout asset with Golden State to begin the 2024-25 season.
Still, the 31-year-old’s ability to occasionally make plays off the dribble, nail spot-up triples at a respectable clip, and defend satisfactorily despite earning the nickname ‘Slow Mo’ when he entered the league in 2014.
Anderson averaged 5.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in 36 games with the Warriors, shooting 45.0% from the field and 36.5% from deep before getting traded to Miami.
Warriors fans wouldn’t be thrilled with a Kuminga and Anderson swap this summer, but at least the organization would receive an asset familiar with Kerr’s system in the Bay.