The Golden State Warriors have had a season full of question marks so far.
Stephen Curry has been out with an injury, Al Horford has not been what they had hoped, the Jonathan Kuminga saga continues despite settling on a contract, but most importantly, Pat Spencer has looked amazing. Spencer is currently on a two-way contract with the team, and is hoping the team will convert him to the minimum like they did last season.
His emergence with the team has forced an interesting situation, one where Kuminga received a DNP while fully healthy in their win against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
If this trend continues, the Dubs may look to part ways with the 23-year-old. If that is the case, Joey Akeley of Sports Illustrated believes he may be used to acquire a familiar face and then some.
“(Herbert) Jones feels like the most realistic Warriors trade target. He's a great defensive player with size (6'7"), which the Warriors are lacking. He can also make threes (career 36.5 3PT%),” Akeley said Monday. “To make the money work, Golden State would take back Kevon Looney, which would be especially useful when Al Horford is out for back-to-backs or injured.”
In this hypothetical deal, Golden State would acquire Herbert Jones and Kevon Looney in exchange for Kuminga and Gary Payton.
Jones has proved himself valuable both offensively and defensively, something Kuminga has yet to consistently do. They would also take on Looney, who was with the team from 2015 to 2025, but signed a 2 year $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason.
He is a three-time champion with the Warriors and started many games for them at center.
Setting nostalgia aside, this would still be an excellent deal for the Warriors. Jones is an upgrade from Kuminga, and although Payton’s defensive tenacity may be missed, De’Anthony Melton has recently returned from injury to replace him.
Kuminga’s recent DNP may be a sign that his time with the Warriors is coming to an end.
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