The Golden State Warriors head into the offseason with many questions to answer after a premature ending to their 2023-24 NBA season. With Stephen Curry not getting any younger, the Dubs must figure out how to maximize their star’s championship window.
While all their hopes rely on Curry and therefore the team will continue to be built around him, it looks like the franchise also considers Jonathan Kuminga as a pivotal player for their future.
In an appearance on 95.7 The Game, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN ruled out any possibility that the 21-year-old gets traded this summer, even though he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal.
“Not at all,” Shelburne said when asked if Kuminga could be traded this offseason, via ClutchPoints. “Look, it’s going to get complicated because of his extension talks and how much money they have, but I think they’ll do everything they can to keep him. I don’t think they even want to talk about him.”
It makes sense the Warriors don’t want to lose Kuminga anytime soon. Not only did they use a seventh-overall pick on him in 2021, but Kuminga also comes from a breakout year in his third year with the team. Therefore, chances are he gets a lucrative extension in the Bay area this summer.
Warriors facing plenty of questions ahead of 2024-25 NBA season
While keeping Kuminga might be a priority moving forward, the Warriors have big decisions to make on other big names. Klay Thompson, for instance, is hitting free agency and his future remains unclear.
The 34-year-old is no longer the star he used to be, and his level hit rock bottom last season. Golden State could still give him a chance to stay and retire a Warrior, but Thompson is reportedly looking at other teams as well.
Another situation the front office has to address is what to do with Chris Paul, whose $30m contract for 2024-25 is non-guaranteed. Veteran forward Andrew Wiggins, on the other hand, has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate as he struggled last year.