The Jonathan Kuminga situation has, finally, found a resolution as the Golden State Warriors shipped the 23-year-old forward, along with guard Buddy Hield, to the Atlanta Hawks for center Kristaps Porziņģis.
It took the Warriors far too long to reach this stage, but now the youngster will get a chance to flourish elsewhere.
Let’s get into some trade grades.
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Golden State: B-
Oh boy did this team need a center so very, very badly. Of course, you have to wonder if the timing makes sense now that Jimmy Butler is out for the season with an ACL tear.
What does Porziņģis offer Golden State in terms of a raised ceiling if the team can’t offer up the best version of itself? Even setting aside his substantial injury pattern, the Warriors don’t have much hope of making a real run this season, and who knows how this aging team looks in a year?
Porziņģis is a free agent this summer, so there is some hope that he’ll re-sign and offer them a consistent floor-spacing presence throughout next season, and perhaps beyond with Butler back in action.
All in all, this deal is worth it if he stays healthy and is open to staying with the Warriors after the conclusion of this season.
Atlanta: B+
This is a pure upside swing, but one that doesn’t cost the Hawks a lot. Kuminga is cost-controlled this season, and the organization has a team option on him for next season, after which it’s free of any obligation should he fail to pop in Atlanta.
Hield is also easy to cut loose, as he’s on the hook for just $3 million in guaranteed money next year, which is peanuts under this CBA.
While Kuminga will have to defer to Jalen Johnson, he should be higher on the offensive totem pole in Atlanta, providing him with the opportunity to make some noise and some progress under these new circumstances.
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