Jonathan Kuminga has been involved in plenty of trade rumors so far this season, especially after his recent benching by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Amid trade speculation, NBA insider Jake Fischer asked execs about his current value.
“I polled various executives on the subject and none of them indicated that Kuminga’s play over the next few weeks would change their current evaluation of him as an NBA player,” Fischer wrote.
Kuminga was a restricted free agent this offseason, and most of the summer was spent in a contract dispute with the Warriors. The two sides eventually landed on a two-year, $48.5 million contract in September. The deal features a club option after this season.
That deal doesn’t guarantee Kuminga’s future with the Warriors, though. NBA insider Marc Stein reported last week that Golden State is “increasingly expected” to move on from Kuminga when he becomes eligible to be traded on Jan. 15.
As for possible landing spots, Stein noted that the Chicago Bulls have “registered interest” in him, while The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are going to be “front and center.” Amick also pointed to the Sacramento Kings as a team that could get involved.
The Pelicans’ reported interest in Kuminga comes as the Warriors “have been open” about their infatuation with Trey Murphy III, according to Amick.
Kuminga has struggled to establish himself as a fixture of the Warriors’ rotation in his fifth season. The 23-year-old is putting up 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, and he’s especially struggled this month, averaging just 5.8 points per game on a lackluster 24.3 percent from the field.
The 23-year-old Kuminga might be ready to move on from the Warriors at this point, but he’ll have to show more when on the court to ensure he has enough trade value to be moved.