Ranking Jonathan Cumminga’s top 4 trade destinations as he falls out of the Warriors’ rotation

Jonathan Cumminga’s time with the Golden State Warriors the end will come soon. While Kuminga re-signed with the Warriors last offseason and appeared to have turned the corner to begin the 2025-26 campaign, it’s clear he doesn’t fit head coach Steve Kerr’s system and never will. And with The Warriors are moving forward and will soon be eligible for trade come January 15 next year, the clock is ticking on his term in Bay.

Kuminga is one of the most polarizing players around the association. On the one hand, there are many who have already soured on Kuminga. He doesn’t provide much shooting and gravitas off the bounce, he’s not the best playmaker or ball handler, nor has his game progressed to the point where he’s now one of the better players in the league.

But Kuminga is only 23 years old and he still has potential. His athleticism is enticing, and he has prototypical size for a wing in today’s NBA. There are some coaches and development staff around the league who would love to get a chance to work with Cummings to try to mold him into the game-changing talent the Warriors have been waiting for him to become over the past five years.

For that purpose, here are some tthey do destinations that make sense for Kuminga as he tries to put this stint with the Warriors in the rearview mirror in hopes of fulfilling his ambitions with another team.

4. Chicago Bulls

There may not be a team in the NBA playing worse basketball than the Bulls right now. They’ve been stuck in a rut of late, and that could very well cause them to turn from their goal of eternal mediocrity to actually hitting rock bottom in hopes of landing a franchise cornerstone.

This isn’t to say the Bulls don’t have good players on the roster. Josh Giddy and Coby White are solid players, while Matas Bouzelis is emerging as a versatile two-way shooting wing. But perhaps the addition of Kuminga would at least give fans more to look forward to, as well as someone they could look up to and be a key part of their attack.

Now, the The Warriors could acquire someone like Nikola Vucevic or maybe a package centered around the likes of Isaac Okoro or even White in a deal with Cummings. The salary fits pretty well, and those players would at least fit the Warriors’ system better than Kuminga.

But the reason the Bulls are ranked this low is because Kuminga’s ability as a ball-dominant wing next to someone like Giddei is vexing at best. Regardless, Chicago isn’t exactly in a position to be picky about the players they can build around right now.

3. Utah Jazz

The Jazz are once again one of the worst teams in the league, and even head coach Will Hardy was pushed to his limits by the incompetence of his squad. Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George are solid pieces to have around, but the team around them lacks talent for what is sure to be another painful campaign.

But at least the Jazz have more quality young pieces around them that it makes sense for them to take a flier on Cummings to see if he can make that jump when he takes on a more usage role.

Alas, Hardy may find Kuminga to be another head-scratching player for the manager. Cummings’ consistency and effort have been declining, and for a Jazz team looking to establish winning habits, it just won’t do. Perhaps a change of scenery would do wonders for Cummings’ motivation, but Hardy must prepare himself if his team take on the 23-year-old striker from the Warriors.

2. Sacramento Kings

It’s no secret that it is The Kings may be the most interested team in the league when it comes to trade for Kuminga. They were the team most prominently mentioned as a potential destination for Cummings during his restricted free agency, and the team is reportedly interested in making an offer around Malik Monk to try and get him from the Warriors.

At the end of the day, Kuminga decided to return to the Warriors after the Dubs rejected the Kings’ advances. But with Sacramento going nowhere fast, they may try to reconsider their interest in the 23-year-old forward.

However, they could run into the same problems as they did in the off-season. They just might not compatible trading partners. The Kings don’t have anything the Warriors want, except maybe Keegan Murray, and there’s no way Sacramento would want to trade him.

But the Kings can give Kuminga the huge role he wants, and given their interest in him, they’d give him as much room to develop as they can in the process.

1. Brooklyn Nets

There may not be a team in the league that needs more talent right now than the Nets. They have Michael Porter Jr. as their star, which is a concern in itself, but the rest of the team around him just screams future role players. Cam Thomas has a one-year contract. Noah Clowney is good, but not on the path to stardom. Nick Claxton is a solid starting center.

But the Nets, despite having so many lottery picks in recent years, still don’t seem to have their franchise cornerstone. Egor Demin could get there one day, and the jury is still out on Ben Saraf or Nolan Traore considering they are rookies. However, they can certainly bag some of the players they have to try to get someone like Kuminga, who could break out in post-hype fashion.

The Warriors could acquire Terrence Mann, Clowney, or even Clacton in the Cummings trade. Maybe it is Dubs would like Porter in exchange. Brooklyn also has all the cap space and draft picks in the world, so it can definitely take it on Kuminga’s contract. And they’ll be able to give him the runway he needs to emerge as a star in the NBA.