NBA writer Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report created a wild trade idea involving the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns.
Pincus’ trade idea sends Klay Thompson to the Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga to the Jazz, Cam Thomas to the Mavericks, Buddy Hield to the Magic and Al Horford to the Nets as the headliner moves.
Warriors get: Klay Thompson (from Mavericks), Jonathan Isaac (from Magic), Day’Ron Sharpe (from Nets), Garrett Temple (from Raptors), 2027 first-round pick (via Jazz)
Jazz get: Jonathan Kuminga (from Warriors), Hunter Tyson (from Nuggets), Nigel Hayes-Davis (from Suns), $2.5 million (from Suns)
Mavericks get: Cam Thomas (from Nets), Jalen Pickett (from Nuggets), $8.5 million trade exception (Klay Thompson)
Magic get: Buddy Hield (from Warriors), Haywood Highsmith (from Nets), $5.8 million trade exception (Jonathan Isaac)
Nets get: Al Horford (from Warriors), Trayce Jackson-Davis (from Warriors), Kyle Anderson (from Jazz), Georges Niang (from Jazz), Jett Howard (from Magic), 2026 Los Angeles Lakers second-rounder (via Raptors), 2027 LA Clippers second-rounder (via Jazz), 2030 second-rounder (via Mavericks), 2031 Philadelphia 76ers second-rounder (via Jazz), $2.8 million (from Raptors), $2.7 million (from Nuggets), $2.5 million (from Suns)
Nuggets get: $2.2 million trade exception (Hunter Tyson), $2.2 million trade exception (Jalen Pickett)
Raptors get: $2.3 million trade exception (Garrett Temple)
Suns get: $2 million trade exception (Nigel Hayes-Davis)
Pincus created this NBA trade idea because the Warriors are expected to trade Kuminga once he’s eligible to be moved after January 14.
Kuminga signed a two-year, $48.5 million deal with the Warriors to end his restricted free agency last offseason. The second year of the deal, which is a team option, is designed for Golden State — or another team if and when Kuminga is traded — to rip up and construct a new contract next offseason.
Not only does Kuminga get his wish by getting traded by the Warriors in this NBA trade idea, but Thompson also returns to the Warriors, the franchise he won four championships with.
According to NBA insiders Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Thompson wants to play for a contender and a return to Golden State could happen because of Stephen Curry.