Jonathan Kuminga’s road to Cleveland may run straight through Dennis Schroder.
Nearly six weeks into free agency, the former Golden State Warriors forward is still waiting for his next deal, and the Cavaliers’ push to bring him in appears to hinge on clearing out one of their own ex-Warriors guards first. Cleveland has been mentioned alongside the Los Angeles Lakers as one of Kuminga’s top suitors, but any serious move for the 23-year-old seems tied to creating room by moving Schroder.
That’s the view from Cavaliers insider Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who reported that the front office is weighing ways to shift Schroder in order to open up flexibility for Kuminga or Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson.
"Sources tell cleveland.com the Cavs continue to discuss various trade packages involving Schroder, seeing if there is an opportunity to slightly reconfigure the roster or gain financial flexibility, which would help their pursuit of free agents Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson," Fedor wrote.
Cleveland’s interest in Kuminga makes sense on the court, too. The Cavs have a clear opening in their forward group, and Kuminga has a connection to head coach Kenny Atkinson, who was once a Warriors assistant. But any sign-and-trade that gets Kuminga the type of contract he wants - reportedly near $20 million per year - still requires patience.
Schroder, meanwhile, may be on the move regardless of what happens with Kuminga. The 32-year-old is owed more than $30 million over the next two seasons after signing a three-year deal with Sacramento last summer, and Cleveland appears open to finding another landing spot for him just six months after bringing him in.
That would mark a quick turnaround, though not quite as fast as Golden State’s. The Warriors moved Schroder in the Jimmy Butler trade at the 2025 mid-season deadline, less than two months and only 24 games after acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets.
For now, the two former Warriors who shared nine games as teammates have their futures intertwined again, with Cleveland trying to reshape its roster after last season’s Conference Finals exit.
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