Jonathan Kuminga provides update on trade rumors after ‘numerous meetings’ with Warriors’ Kerr

Having recently been left out of head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation, Jonathan Kuminga’s tenure with the Golden State Warriors may come to an end sooner rather than later.

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported NBA on Prime On Friday night, Kuminga had “numerous meetings” with Kerr that didn’t iron out any of their differences and rival teams expect the 23-year-old to be moved before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

“There are rival teams who believe that once January 15th comes around – that’s when Kuminga can be traded – they don’t expect him to still be a member of the Golden State Warriors after the trade deadline. So he’s a name to watch as this period progresses. Kuminga has been very frustrated,” Haynes reported.

Kuminga’s relationship with Kerr and the Warriors has seemed strained for a long time now.

Kerr publicly criticized Kuminga’s shot selection, while acknowledging he could do a better job training the young striker.

During the Warriors’ playoff run against the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, The Ringer’s Logan Murdock reported an instance where Kerr was “irritated” during a regular season game against the Portland Trail Blazers because Kuminga had “multiple instances” where he was looking at Stephen Curry in an attempt to create his own offense.

As a restricted free agent in the offseason, Kuminga had a prolonged standoff with the Warriors in which his agent spoke publicly about the negotiations.

Kuminga ultimately returned to the Warriors on a two-year, $48.5 million contract in which he also waived his inherent no-trade clause when he becomes eligible to be traded on January 15.

The deal also includes a second-year team option that, in theory, makes it easier to trade since it could be treated as an expiring contract, rather than an acquiring club having to pay Kuminga’s $24.3 million salary in 2026-27.

Kuminga looked poised to take a big step forward at the start of this season. He averaged 17.2 points on 51.4 percent shooting, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 rebounds per game in his first nine games.

Since November 7, Kuminga’s production has exploded with 6.3 points on 31.1 percent shooting, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in nine appearances. He also missed 13 games during that stretch, with Kerr keeping him on the bench in five of the previous seven games.

Given how far Kuminga appears to have fallen out of favor in Golden State, it seems unlikely the team would get significant value in a trade. At this point, however, it might simply be in both parties’ best interest to part ways while the trade deadline is only six weeks away.