Jonathan Kuminga

Getty

A new trade proposal has the Golden State Warriors trading Jonathan Kuminga to the Utah Jazz and acquiring the Dallas Mavericks’ Klay Thompson.

One of the biggest dominoes of the NBA trade deadline belongs to the Golden State Warriors, as a deal involving forward Jonathan Kuminga would be seismic.

The player and the team have been an incompatible match since the season began, from a standoff over his contract to the fifth-year pro dealing with knee tendinitis and being phased out of the rotation. Kuminga can be traded beginning on January 15, and it looks like the Warriors will try to take a big swing ahead of the February 5 deadline.

In a new trade proposal from Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, Golden State pulls off a monster deal that sends Kuminga to the Utah Jazz and brings home a familiar face. The full trade would involve eight teams, but this article will focus on three of the major players, for the sake of brevity. 

Here is the trade proposal: 

Warriors receive: G Klay Thompson (from Mavericks), F Jonathan Isaac (from Magic), C Day’Ron Sharpe, G Garrett Temple (from Raptors), 2027 first-round pick (via Jazz)
Jazz receive: F Jonathan Kuminga (from Warriors), F Hunter Tyson (from Nuggets), F Nigel Hayes-Davis (from Suns), $2.5 million (from Suns)
Mavericks receive:  G Cam Thomas (from Nets), G Jalen Pickett (from Nuggets), $8.5 million trade exception (Klay Thompson)

Who says yes to this deal? Who says no? Let’s see it through and find out:

Why Golden State Warriors Make This Trade

Golden State made a blockbuster move at last year’s trade deadline, acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, which ignited a team that had been scuffling. This would be the same kind of jolt for the Warriors, currently a fringe playoff team in the Western Conference.

Thompson is beloved in Golden State and fits the Warriors’ offense perfectly. They have gotten little production from the guard opposite of Stephen Curry this year, as Buddy Hield (7.9 points per game) has struggled. Moses Moody and Pat Spencer have worked their way into the starting lineup, but that shouldn’t deter Golden State from acquiring one of the most prolific three-point shooters in NBA history (and Curry’s preferred wingman).

The first round pick in this deal is also a plus for Golden State. Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green (assuming he picks up his player option) all come off the books after the 2026-2027 season. This would be the final championship push for Golden State’s core, before the team has to build for the future.   

Why Utah Jazz Make This Trade

Going to Utah would be a fresh start for Kuminga, a young player with lots of upside that has not been able to find his footing with the team that drafted him. The forward could blossom if given more minutes and more opportunities with the Jazz.

The team has some pieces in place to be competitive, with a veteran forward Lauri Markkanen (assuming the Jazz are not blown away by an offer for him at the trade deadline) and a young guard in No. 5 overall pick Ace Bailey. If Kuminga can gel with those players, and center Walker Kessler returns healthy from a torn labrum, Utah could be a surprise team in the Western Conference next season.

The Jazz have a second first-round pick in 2027. They could give Kuminga a new contract that summer, if it makes sense, or land a more cost-controllable player through the draft to replace him.      

Why Dallas Mavericks Make This Trade

The Mavericks have shown they will be sellers at the trade deadline, and Thompson is an asset that could bring them both salary cap relief and young talent. 

The Mavericks may have a top-10 player in the league on a rookie deal in Cooper Flagg, and they will want to build around him quickly and try to maximize that window. Shedding Thompson’s contract and others is essential if Dallas wants to be competitive in free agency this summer and next.

Thomas, 24,  would be a nice wing player to complement Flagg for the rest of this season. The LSU product averaged 24 points per game last season and is putting up 21.4 points per game this year. If the Mavericks like him, they’ll have the opportunity to make him a foundational piece when his contract expires at the end of 2025-26.

Colin Capece is an NBA Contributing Writer at Heavy. His work has appeared in The Sporting News, The Dallas Morning News, USA Today and The Arizona Republic, where he covered everything from Caitlin Clark mania to a burgeoning cricket league. Capece received his master’s degree from Northwestern University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame. He roots for all the long-suffering New York sports teams. More about Colin Capece

More Heavy on Jazz

Loading more stories