As the Golden State Warriors enter the offseason, perhaps their biggest and most pressing priority is to either re-sign or find an appropriate return in a sign-and-trade for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
In a mock trade proposed by Fadeaway World, the Warriors, in a three-team deal, would find an excellent return for the young forward, looping in both the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers and receiving Dorian Finney-Smith, Dalton Knecht, and the 55th overall pick in the upcoming draft.
In the deal, the Lakers would receive both Kuminga and Nets center Nic Claxton, and the Nets would receive Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers' 2031 first-round pick.
Through the deal, Golden State would fill two of their biggest needs, gaining a dynamic young player with high offensive upside in the process, and, if such a price for Kuminga is ultimately reasonable, fans of the team should be ecstatic.
A three-team deal could net the Warriors the best return for Kuminga
Kuminga, who averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists through 47 games last season, will likely command a contract in the $25 million annual value range.
While his upside and athleticism is immense, it is unlikely that the Warriors, who owe a substantial amount to their veteran trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green over the next two seasons, will be willing to give Kuminga the payday that he is seeking.
Therefore, if Golden State is to look to trade Kuminga, they have two approaches they can take. They can either seek out a trade for another star and a bona-fide third scoring option, or they can pursue a trade for multiple pieces that will help solidify their roster.
In the case of this trade proposal, Dorian Finney-Smith, who averaged 8.7 points on 41.1% 3-point shooting last season with both the Nets and the Lakers, would present both a veteran presence and a major upgrade over the Warriors current pieces on the wing.
Dalton Knecht, who the Lakers have already shown a willingness to deal, would bring a dynamic young shooter in Golden State's fold, also filling a backcourt need with a cheap roster spot for the time being. Through 72 games last season, Knecht shot 37.6% from deep on limited volume, but he projects as a major shooter as he develops.
Since the Warriors are over the cap, and Kuminga's monetary value in a sign-and-trade can only equal half of his contract, a three-team deal, especially with two teams as in need of scoring as the Nets and Lakers, could present the franchise with the best return for their biggest asset this off-season.
While this deal is purely hypothetical, it appears to present a reasonable return for all teams involved, and thus should give fans hope that Kuminga could fetch a similar return.
