Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga reportedly still wants a trade, despite Jimmy Butler suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Monday’s game against the Miami Heat, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Jonathan Kuminga Hopes To Be Traded Soon
Butler’s injury hasn’t changed Kuminga’s position on wanting off the team.
“Kuminga has no desire to remain a member of the Golden State Warriors,” Haynes said. “I’m told that his relationship with head coach Steve Kerr is fractured beyond repair. He’s felt that he hasn’t had any organizational support throughout this process. So, he’s felt devalued with the organization.”
Kuminga demanded a trade on Jan. 15 when he became eligible to be traded.
For @NBAonPrime: Jonathan Kuminga’s position hasn’t changed, and how Golden State and the young forward intends to navigate the next few weeks leading to the NBA trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/AfNkMVTmjv
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 23, 2026
Per ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater, the Warriors are hoping to get a return package that will help them win now without committing to long-term deals.
“League sources said the Warriors have been prioritizing expiring contracts in return for Kuminga. They’ve declined the idea of taking back long-term contracts unless they view it as no-brainer positive value. That’s been the hold up in conversations with Sacramento,” Charania and Slater wrote.
However, the problem for Golden State is that Kuminga’s trade value has decreased since the start of the season. He missed seven games due to bilateral knee tendonitis and was out of the rotation for an entire month.
The former first-rounder has played only 19 games this season, and until Tuesday’s game against Toronto, he had not played since Dec. 18 at Phoenix.
Warriors Have Kuminga Back In Rotation
According to Haynes, the Warriors have Kuminga back in the rotation in hopes of him boosting his trade value.
“For Jonathan Kuminga, this will be a bit of a brief showcase,” Haynes said. “Obviously, he hasn’t been playing that much and his market value isn’t what the Warriors hoped it would be. You can make an argument that they contributed to that market price.”
While the Lakers, Bulls, and Mavericks have expressed interest in Kuminga, league sources say the Kings remain the only “legitimate” suitor for the 6-foot-7 wing with less than two weeks remaining until the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Through 20 appearances (13 starts) this season, Kuminga is averaging 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 23.8 minutes per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 32.1% from deep.
Before the season, Kuminga finally agreed to a two-year, $46.8 million deal with the Warriors to end a prolonged contract stalemate. As part of the deal, he waived his inherent no-trade clause.
The club option in the second year is designed for either the Warriors or another team if and when Kuminga is traded before the deadline this season.
