The Golden State Warriors are likely to explore different trade opportunities far and wide once Jonathan Kuminga becomes eligible to be moved on January 15.
The New Orleans Pelicans stand out though as an ideal trade partner for the Warriors if they are to move Kuminga, and fortunately it appears like there is a level of interest in the young forward according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints on Friday.
Warriors will move Jonathan Kuminga to the Pelicans if they get their wish
As well as the teams that showed interest in Kuminga during his restricted free agency process — the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns — Siegel has also mentioned the Indiana Pacers and Pelicans as possible next destinations for the 23-year-old.
“Along with the Pacers, another team the Warriors will likely talk with about Kuminga is the New Orleans Pelicans. Both Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III are players the Warriors have great interest in, and they are the type of versatile wings the Dubs would want in a deal involving Kuminga,” Siegel wrote.
New Orleans having any level of interest in Kuminga will be music to the ears of Golden State and their fans, with both Herb Jones and particularly Trey Murphy III being ideal targets that could help address either their perimeter defense issues, or the complete lack of scoring explosiveness beyond Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Murphy makes only slightly more than Kuminga this season, while Jones makes significantly less. That makes them more realistic options than some of the stars the Warriors have been loosely linked with, including Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis who would require the franchise giving up multiple rotation players and not just Kuminga.
It’s not particularly clear why the Pelicans would have interest in Kuminga given the overlapping skillsets between he and Zion Williamson, but perhaps this is under the presumption that the former No. 1 overall pick is also on the move from New Orleans. Even then, does Kuminga really fit with young frontcourt piece Derik Queen?
Regardless of the reasoning, there should be an element of excitement among Warrior fans whenever Kuminga and the Pelicans are mentioned in the same sentence. Jones has regularly been suggested as a potential trade target over recent seasons, while Golden State reportedly checked in on Murphy’s availability as recently as this past offseason according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
For now, the Warriors will be hoping Kuminga can recover from injury amid a seven-game absence, with a potential return ironically against the Pelicans at Chase Center on Saturday night.
