The Golden State Warriors have a conundrum on their hands: star forward Jonathan Kuminga wants out. And while they could keep him, dealing him for someone who wants to actually play for the Warriors might be a better idea.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes so too, and proposes the Warriors make a three-team trade with the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers for Cavs forward De’Andre Hunter. Hunter basically brings the same talent as Kuminga, with better defense and a longer contract.
The trade would look like this:
Warriors get: F De'Andre Hunter
Phoenix Suns get: F Jonathan Kuminga, C Trayce Jackson-Davis
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: F Royce O'Neale, F Ryan Dunn, C Nick Richards
“De'Andre Hunter, 28, is a near-identical salary match to Kuminga ($23.3 million to $22.5 million), and adding in Trayce Jackson-Davis actually helps the Warriors shed a little money and stay below the second apron…His laid-back personality and drama-free game would be a refreshing change of pace for a Warriors organization that's had to pretend the house wasn't on fire even though Kuminga was constantly running around with a box of matches,” Swartz wrote.
This season, Hunter is averaging 14.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He’s also an elite shooter, with a career 3pt% of.366. He could slot in perfectly with the Warriors' core and give them a second wind.
Everyone in this trade gets what they want. The Warriors get a replacement for Kuminga, the Suns finally get Kuminga, and the Cavs get role players that fill holes in their roster, while shedding payroll. If the Warriors are smart, they’ll propose the deal to their prospective partners.
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