Jonathan Kuminga’s new deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves only adds another layer to a trade that is starting to look better and better for the Golden State Warriors.
There are still plenty of Warriors fans who have been critical of February’s move centered around Kuminga and Kristaps Porzingis, and that frustration makes sense given how many chances Golden State had to deal the former seventh overall pick for more value. But when you strip the trade down to the actual returns, the picture looks a lot different.
Kuminga ended up on a two-year, $13 million contract with Minnesota on Wednesday after the Atlanta Hawks moved on from him just a few months after the deal. That number matters, because it underscores how limited the market was for him this summer.
The same trade also included Buddy Hield, and all three players involved were on inflated contracts at the time. Six months later, though, Porzingis stands out as the most valuable piece. He signed a two-year, $40 million deal to stay with Golden State before free agency, with only $3 million guaranteed in the second year.
Porzingis’ injury and health history still hang over any evaluation of the contract, but it is generally seen as a fair price. Not a bargain, but not an overpay either, especially when compared with what other big men landed in free agency, including former Warrior center Quinten Post.
Viewed through those contract numbers, the Warriors effectively turned a $6.5 million player in Kuminga into a $20 million player in Porzingis. Atlanta, meanwhile, picked up Hield’s $9.7 million team option, likely with a trade in mind. If the Hawks had declined it and let Hield reach free agency, it would have been difficult to imagine him getting more than the minimum.
For Golden State, the move also made basketball sense. Porzingis fills a much bigger need and gives the Warriors a bona fide starting center, while Kuminga never had a consistent big role with the team.
Kuminga still has a path to beat his contract. He now gets a starting opportunity with a legitimate playoff team, and while nothing is guaranteed, it is not hard to imagine him playing much closer to the $20 million range Porzingis landed on if he brings real two-way value and helps Minnesota win a playoff series.
At the same time, this is the kind of trade that can still shift over time when a 23-year-old is involved. Right now, though, Golden State looks like the winner in the deal - even if the bigger picture still includes the wasted value of another top-10 pick after taking James Wiseman second overall a year earlier.
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