Getty

Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center.

The 2025 NBA offseason hasn’t gone as originally planned for the Golden State Warriors. As the franchise has yet to come to a contract agreement with forward Jonathan Kuminga, the Warriors have been stagnant all summer, still the only team yet to add or resign a player. 

Though the Kuminga situation has no clear timeline for getting solved, there is a player who, if Golden State trades for, could fix what has been the dominant storyline in the Bay Area over the past few months. 

Writing for Bleacher Report, Andy Bailey discussed why the Warriors would be interested in a player like Kelly Oubre in Philadelphia 76ers trade talks.

“Familiarity is at least a part of why the Golden State Warriors are here. Oubre played for them during the 2020-21 campaign, when he averaged 15.4 points and 1.6 threes,” Bailey wrote. “The Warriors need more punch off the bench and currently only have nine players under contract.”

Though his one season in Golden State didn’t lead to championship success, Oubre was the third-highest scorer on that iteration of the team. As the Sixers look to be in a precarious situation with their injuries and younger players, Oubre could be a candidate to be traded to a contender this summer or before the deadline, according to Jake Fischer. 

Warriors Quiet Offseason

More than two months into free agency, the only roster changes made by Golden State have been losing Kevon Looney to the New Orleans Pelicans. As of early September, the Kuminga holdout has dominated their summer, and a deal still isn’t close to being made, according to recent reports. 

While the Warriors are still expected to sign former Boston Celtics center Al Horford and resign De’Anthony Melton, the franchise has still been quiet when it comes to player signings, now just less than a month before training camp. 

Golden State has reportedly offered Kuminga the qualifying offer, which would mean he would make around $7.9 million next season and become a free agent in the summer of 2026. But while he wants a deal closer to $20-$30 million over multiple years, the team may have better success trading the young forward for a piece better suited to slide into their roster with championship aspirations. 

Kuminga has been mock traded to teams around the league, but while Golden State will want to find an adequate replacement for both his scoring and bringing a greater two-way presence, there’s one name that has yet to be mentioned. 

Kelly Oubre As A Kuminga Situation Fix

In steps Oubre, who over the past few seasons has been one of the more under-the-radar scorers in the league. He’s averaged at least 15 points over the last seven seasons for the Warriors, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets, and Sixers. 

His shooting numbers have room for improvement, but as seen with those who play with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the floor spacing is on a different level when it comes to the Warriors. Additionally, his athleticism and paint presence on both sides of the court would be a plus for this Golden State roster. 

“At least in theory, a downhill scoring threat like Oubre should be able to pull some defenses inward and away from shooters like Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski,” Bailey wrote. 

Oubre is in the last year of his deal, making roughly $8.4 million for the Sixers, but could replace Kuminga as a more experienced option on the wing for the Warriors.

As Fischer reported, the Sixers are reportedly interested in moving on from Oubre, as with the recent surgeries of Joel Embiid and Paul George, the franchise looks to be heading into a new era led by Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and V.J. Edgecombe.

Golden State has been quiet all summer, but now with Oubre potentially available, he could be a fix to what has been a months-long issue for the team. 

Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski