When the offseason began, I maintained an unconventional stance on the Golden State Warriors situation with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. I felt that, rather than executing the sign-and-trade that was looking increasingly probable for the hyper-athletic forward, the Warriors should re-sign him and potentially deal him at the 2026 trade deadline instead.
My reasoning was simple, if perhaps flawed. Kuminga had shown flashes of stardom during the 2024-25 season. Following Steph Curry’s injury in the Western Conference Semifinals, Kuminga had shined alongside Jimmy Butler III, giving reason to believe that Steve Kerr’s concerns over that duo were partially unfounded.