The Golden State Warriors' performance this season has been truly stunning. As a team that relied on Curry to build a dynasty, their record was a big disappointment. So far, the Warriors have won just 17 games and lost a whopping 18 games, placing them 10th in the West. Judging by their performance this season, it is almost impossible for the Warriors to compete for a championship, and they may even miss the playoffs. Like the Lakers, the Warriors are now facing a lot of difficulties, not only with a worrying record, but also with a significant shortage of personnel. The team has been plagued by a series of injuries, and guard Payton Jr. has been suffering from repeated injuries and has recently withdrawn from the game.
Paul's injury has also caused problems for the Warriors. In the game against the Pistons, Paul was injured while scrambling for the ball, and it was officially announced that he had a fractured palm and needed surgery, and it was impossible to determine the recovery time of the injury. This makes the Warriors' personnel dilemma even more prominent. Considering Draymond Green's status is unknown since his return, the Warriors need to make a trade to improve the roster. The problem, however, is that the Warriors don't have many players to trade, and few teams are willing to take on high-value contracts like Klay Thompson and Wiggins, and even if they do, the Warriors struggle to trade for better players.
In addition, the Warriors are reluctant to give up on young players such as Kuminga, Moody, Podzemski, etc., considering that they all have considerable potential. Perhaps Kuminga could be traded because he doesn't get many opportunities with the current Warriors and has publicly expressed his displeasure with Kerr. After the Christmas game, Kuminga made a surprising statement, bluntly saying: "To tell you the truth, I have to pass the ball to the veterans, I don't know what I'm doing, what exactly they ask me to do, I can actually do a lot of things."
I can't decide things, but I think I can do a lot of things, I can balance scoring and passing, but it's not up to me. This was clearly a demonstration to Cole, perhaps setting the stage for his departure. As the trade deadline approached, some teams began to inquire about Kuminga. However, the Warriors revealed that they don't plan to trade Kuminga. According to NBA reporter Michael Grange, people familiar with the matter revealed that the Warriors intend to keep Kuminga because they believe the player has the potential to become a star.
In the Warriors' view, Kuminga can not only serve as Curry's right-hand man at the moment, but also become a key member of the team after the Curry era ends. So far this season, Kuminga has played in 34 games, averaging 22 minutes per game5 minutes, able to contribute 128 points, 41 rebound and 14 assists. The Warriors' message isn't a denial that Kuminga will be traded, but more of a signal from them. They have shown the other teams that Kuminga is too good and has the potential to be an All-Star, and they won't give up easily unless they can come up with more powerful trade chips.
This is actually a strategy to raise prices. Moreover, Coach Kerr hates players who dare to defy him the most, and the previous Poole is a living case. Perhaps in the near future, we will witness a major deal with Kuminga at its core, and such a deal could be a win-win situation!