With Poole, the Warriors obviously had to deal with the crisis of Draymond Green punching him during the 2022 training camp. But the basketball part of it was never too controversial. Poole was a key part of a championship run. Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy didn’t have to answer regular questions about how he fit. The Warriors decided they had to permanently separate Poole and Draymond, but the issue just wasn’t a daily pressure-cooker.
The Kuminga Questions, which already are wearing on the Warriors, would be a constant presence if he comes back. Is he guaranteed a full rotation spot? What happens the first time Kerr plays him only 12 minutes? Is the offense changing? Is Kuminga getting better? What do Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond think of this? What does Joe Lacob think about this? Will they trade Kuminga by December? February? Never?
That’s a lot. Probably too much, IMO.
But I don’t think it’d be as awkward as Klay’s final season, which was pretty lousy for everyone. That situation was about legacy, respect, pure dollars and cents, fierce competitive stubbornness, player-to-player relationships, player-management relationships, and many other sensitive topics. If Kuminga is brought back even temporarily next season, it’d be weird, but I don’t think it’d reach that level.
I’ve heard/read you, Anthony Slater, and Marcus Thompson on the possibility that Kuminga’s market is soft and bringing him back at a reasonable number becomes the logical path. In this scenario, what other moves/targets make sense to improve the roster? — ‪@mikemillstein.bsky.social‬.
Trading Kuminga is by far the Warriors’ best path toward acquiring a player who better fits what they do. Which is one of the main reasons I believe he will be traded in July.
Which team wants Kuminga the most? I don’t know. What kind of deal would that team want to sign him for? Don’t know. What kind of player could the Warriors get back in a sign-and-trade? You know that I don’t know. But it’s the liveliest scenario because Kuminga, at 22 with all that obvious talent, remains a fascinating NBA discussion point.
Other than that, the Warriors’ most tradable assets include several future first-round picks, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and a few other things. Could they get a solid player or two for some combination of those pieces? Possibly. But not what they could get if they put Kuminga into trade talks.