Why the Pelicans are ‘front and center’ in Warriors exile Jonathan Cumminga trade discussion
The The New Orleans Pelicans were a wreck so far in the 2025-26 NBA season, he is currently 5-22 despite a recent road win Chicago Bulls. The Pelicans weren’t expected to be a contender this season, but few imagined the team was this terrible, especially considering they don’t control their 2026 first-round pick thanks to a disastrous draft night trade with the Atlanta Hawks.
With that being the case, many see the Pelicans as sellers heading into the trade deadline, and Sam Amick of the Athletics recently reported on how the trade could be made easier between New Orleans and the Golden State Warriors.
“For some time, the Warriors have been open about their desire to acquire Trey Murphy III from the Pelicans. But if they’re going to use (Jonathan) Cummings to do it, then it would be helpful to know how, if at all, the Pelicans value the 23-year-old Warriors forward. So far, feedback has been mixed after a full season on that front,” Amick said.
Chris Dodson and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints also noted that the Warriors could be a suitor for Pelicans wing Herb Jones.
Amick also noted that “These last six weeks haven’t been kind to Kuminga’s value. After a first six games of the season where Kuminga got rave reviews, he’s back on the rollercoaster that embodied the vast majority of his first four seasons.”
Kuminga has received multiple DNP coaching decisions in recent weeks, which, as Amick noted, certainly doesn’t help his potential value on the trade market.
Many expected Kuminga to be on the move in the summer before he and the Warriors finally reached an agreement on a short-term contract solution.
Either way, as the Pelicans’ season continues to roll on, expect these trade talks to get even louder as the deadline approaches.
2025-12-15 17:32:00
