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Jonathan Kuminga #1 of the Golden State Warriors moves towards the basket on Nique Clifford #5 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half at Golden 1 Center on November 05, 2025

Fifth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga may be categorized as a disgruntled asset by some, given his rocky relationship with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and his inability to maintain a starting role.

However, it appears teams around the league value Kuminga a lot. According to insider Marc Stein, Kuminga is “one of the best trade chips in the league” due to his budget-friendly two-year contract that includes a team option in 2026-27.

“He’s not even eligible to be moved until Jan. 15, but it’s no secret that the Warriors’ hardball stance all summer with Kuminga in the sides’ restricted free agency saga was adopted with the intention to ensure that the 23-year-old was re-signed to a tradeable contract. ‘It’s one of the best trade chips in the league,’” Stein reported.

A Test Run With Kuminga?

As noted by Stein, the Warriors will reportedly explore moving Kuminga the minute he becomes trade-eligible on January 15, 2026. Since there’s a club option on his second year, the team that acquires him could essentially experiment with him in the second half of the 2025-26 season and cut ties if things don’t work out in the 2026 summer.

Furthermore, the Warriors may not have the leverage to demand much for the Congolese forward due to their strained relationship with him. As such, a team that truly values Kuminga could acquire him for cheap and give him a four-month test run.

Kuminga Feels Like ‘A Scapegoat’

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Kuminga already feels scapegoated for the Warriors’ paltry 9-8 start to the season. While injuries, including Kuminga’s knee issue, have contributed to the mediocre record, many analysts have blamed Kuminga’s and Brandin Podziemski’s lack of production for Golden State’s woes.

“He feels like the scapegoat again,” one team source told Slater.

The report added that Jimmy Butler III has taken it upon himself to mend the relationship between Kuminga and the Warriors, and feels like the fifth-year forward can find his niche on the team — despite his publicized issues with Kerr.

“I realize that he listens to me,” Butler said. “He respects me. And I don’t ever take that for granted. But I’m always going to tell him the truth, too. And when JK doing some bulls—, I’m going to tell him we can’t have that, man.”

Butler, who took several years to hit his stride in the NBA, advised Kuminga to remain patient and hone his craft, rather than play the blame game.

“I think everybody comes to that steppingstone moment in their career where you know that you can get over that hump,” Butler said of Kuminga.

“Some people are like, ‘Nah, you’re not ready for that yet.’ But you know better. I think that’s where he is. I was at that point.”

Jonathan Kuminga began the 2025-26 season in red-hot form, averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists through his first six games, while shooting 45% from three. Those numbers drastically dipped over his next seven games, with Kuminga averaging 10.6 points on 17.6% from three. He has played only 13 games with a knee injury.

Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan