Golden State Warriors fans are likely tired of hearing about Jonathan Kuminga’s confusing status with the franchise.
At this point, the two sides should have reached an agreement, but it appears that a deal (a one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer or a two-year, $45 million contract) isn’t particularly close to being completed.
However, if Kuminga eventually returns to the Dubs for the 2025-26 season, Sports Illustrated’s Liam Willerup has an intriguing midseason trade idea involving the NBA champion forward.
Willerup believes the Warriors could trade Kuminga to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 6-foot-9 star center.
“Even though the Warriors are rumored to have a handshake deal with Al Horford to assume their starting center position once he can officially sign, the 39-year-old center doesn’t help Golden State’s lack of youth,” Willerup wrote Sunday.
“If the Warriors want to swing for the fences, targeting Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen could give them that interior force they need and allow them to keep Draymond Green from getting banged up night after night.”
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“For this to happen, the Cavaliers would need to be underwhelming next season, and moving off Allen would allow them to run Evan Mobley at center and go small with Kuminga at the four. Allen’s contract jumps from $20 million to $28 million for the 2026-27 season, so the window to trade for him would be before the 2026 deadline.”
Allen has the luxury of boasting about being the most efficient big man in the NBA.
The Texas product connected on a remarkable 70.6% of his field goals last season, showing he’s near-automatic as a rim runner, lob threat, and jump hook specialist in the low post.
Still, if Cleveland were forced to choose, it’s reasonable to assume the organization would feel more comfortable moving forward with the younger and more versatile Mobley, which would undoubtedly be music to the Warriors’ ears.
With Looney out of the fold and Horford on his last leg, trading for Allen would give the Dubs an above-average frontcourt unit next season.
Considering a Kuminga split is inevitable, Allen should be on Golden State’s radar during the upcoming NBA campaign.
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