The Golden State Warriors have completed their departure from Jonathan Kuminga.
A transaction was finalized by the Warriors to send Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks late Wednesday, as reported by Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. Buddy Hield will also join Atlanta in this trade. As compensation, Golden State will acquire Kristaps Porziņģis.
This concludes an extended situation that has been developing for months, ultimately providing Kuminga and the Warriors with the renewed beginning both parties evidently require.
Furthermore, this agreement likely indicates that Golden State will be unable to pursue Milwaukee Bucks standout Giannis Antetokounmpo prior to the trade deadline, since Kuminga was considered a key component in any potential trade package for the player, as per veteran NBA journalist Marc Stein.
This was not the sole transaction carried out by the Warriors on Wednesday evening. The organization transferred big man Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors, receiving a 2026 second-round draft selection in return, confirmed by Shams Charania of ESPN. Jackson-Davis has contributed 4.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a reserve in his third professional year.
Kuminga reportedly sought a trade the moment he became eligible for exchange on January 15th. Just five days subsequent, he saw 21 minutes of play against the Toronto Raptors, marking his initial appearance since December, tallying 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists upon his return. He then participated for nine minutes in the subsequent match before sustaining a knee ailment, which has kept him out of action ever since.
Kuminga finalized a two-year, $48.5 million agreement to rejoin the Warriors in late September, following an extended period of contractual disagreements between both parties that appeared stagnant. It is reported that Kuminga favored this arrangement over a three-year term to enable a potential trade before the deadline, a scenario that has now come to pass. This agreement also featured a team option, intended “to be voided and restructured the following summer.”
Golden State initially drafted Kuminga as the seventh overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft from the G League, despite his markedly erratic performance. During the previous season, he averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest in approximately 24 minutes as a substitute, and he has occasionally been entirely removed from the Warriors’ player rotation.
Kuminga commenced the current season by starting the initial 12 games for the Warriors this autumn, but has since been predominantly inactive. He endured over a month without participating in a match, although that period concluded the day following Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear. Kuminga gained eligibility for trade on January 15, an event the Warriors had anticipated.
Hield’s current season averages stand at eight points—a personal career low—and 2.5 rebounds per game. He has primarily functioned as a reserve, and is presently in the second year of a four-year contract valued at $27.7 million.
Porziņģis has participated in merely 17 contests for the Hawks this season, contending with an ailment. This experienced frontcourt player has been affected by POTS over recent years, leading to him missing substantial playing time last postseason with the Boston Celtics due to the condition. His last game appearance was on January 7. The 30-year-old, who joined the Hawks via trade last summer, is completing the final year of a two-year, $60 million agreement and is slated for free agency next summer.
With his departure from Golden State, Kuminga is expected to gain a more regular playing opportunity, potentially enabling him to fulfill the promise associated with being a lottery selection half a decade ago. The Warriors, currently striving to secure a postseason position in the Western Conference, are also able to advance.
