Jonathan Kuminga #1 of the Golden State Warriors moves towards the basket on Nique Clifford #5 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half at Golden 1 Center on November 05, 2025
It is widely believed that the Golden State Warriors will explore moving Jonathan Kuminga the minute he becomes trade-eligible on January 15, 2026.
Unfortunately for Golden State, Kuminga’s trade value has dipped significantly over the past week, as his sharp decline in performance has led to him losing his starting role. It also doesn’t help that Kuminga’s value will likely dip further as he sees limited minutes off the bench over the next few months before the Warriors can find him a new home.
Amid the chaotic situation, The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami floated several trade scenarios for Kuminga, but concluded on a “realistic” one involving New Orleans Pelicans‘ All-Defensive wing Herbert Jones.
Herb Jones for Kuminga?
“Conclusion: Jones’ length and premium defense would sure look good in the Warriors’ rotation. But he has weaknesses,” wrote Kawakami.
“Basically, Jones is the lesser version of the perfect trade candidate for Kuminga. I think this is about the realistic line for what the Warriors could get for Kuminga in January. Is Jones enough? He’s probably right on the borderline.”
Jones, one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, would solve a lot of Golden State’s defensive issues. However, as Kawakami noted, he’s limited offensively. The 27-year-old averaged 1.1 threes per game at 30% shooting last year, while averaging 10.3 points for the Pelicans. This season, his long-range shooting has improved drastically, resulting in 1.9 threes per game at a 43% clip. However, it seems unlikely that he can maintain that high clip, given his history as a subpar scorer at all three levels.
Other Warriors Trade Options
Kawakami listed several other players as intriguing options in a potential deal for Kuminga, while noting that the Warriors may need to attach Brandin Podziemski and/or Moses Moody, along with draft capital, to pull them off realistically. Some of these potential deals could also involve the aging Jimmy Butler III.
Among the players listed were Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, Lauri Markkanen and Trey Murphy III.
The Warriors insider also mentioned several Sacramento Kings players as part of a potential haul for Kuminga. The Kings reportedly tried to acquire Kuminga as a restricted free agent this past summer before the Warriors signed him to a new deal.
“The Kings options: DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis. All three are interesting. And we know the Kings like Kuminga (and he likes the Kings),” he wrote.
The insider concluded that Keon Ellis, who has tremendous upside as a 3-and-D player, could be the perfect replacement for Kuminga on the Warriors.
“Conclusion: Of the three options, I think the most intriguing would be a package of Ellis plus other salaries plus an unprotected first-round pick for Kuminga.
“That’s a lot, but if I’m the Warriors, that’s what I’d be asking. The Kings might actually consider this, if they’re anywhere near the playoff race by January. Let’s see if and when that happens.”
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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