The Golden State Warriors are at a crossroads, and Jonathan Kuminga’s name is right at the center of it. As trade season heats up, the 21-year-old forward has emerged as Golden State’s most valuable trade chip-and the player they might need to move if they want to bring in a floor-spacing wing like Trey Murphy III from the New Orleans Pelicans.
Murphy has been on the Warriors’ radar for a while now, and for good reason. He brings exactly what Golden State has been missing: reliable shooting and floor spacing. The kind of skill set that fits seamlessly into Steve Kerr’s motion-heavy offense, which thrives when shooters can stretch the floor and open up driving lanes for Stephen Curry and company.
But this isn’t as simple as a one-for-one swap. Due to the Warriors’ second-apron tax restrictions under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, they can’t take back more salary than they send out.
Kuminga is set to make $22.5 million, while Murphy is on the books for $25 million. That $2.5 million difference puts the deal just outside the legal bounds of a straight-up trade under the current cap rules.
And because of the second-apron penalties, Golden State can’t aggregate salaries-meaning they can’t just throw in another contract to make the money work. That puts the front office in a bind. To make this deal happen, they’d need to bring in a third team or get creative with how the trade is structured.
Even then, there’s another layer: the Pelicans reportedly want at least one first-round pick in return for Murphy. That’s a steep price, especially if Kuminga is already part of the deal. The Warriors now have to decide if they’re willing to part with both a promising young player and future draft capital to land a guy like Murphy.
From a basketball standpoint, the fit makes a lot of sense. Steve Kerr has been open about the challenges of finding the right combinations on the floor.
Back in April, he acknowledged that a lineup featuring Jimmy Butler, Kuminga, and Draymond Green didn’t offer enough spacing. He doubled down on that sentiment at the start of this season, emphasizing that the lack of shooting in certain lineups was limiting the offense.
That context matters. Earlier this month, Kerr benched a healthy Kuminga in a blowout win over the Bulls-a game where the Warriors’ offense looked smooth, crisp, and, most importantly, spaced.
It wasn’t a knock on Kuminga’s talent, but rather a reflection of what the team needs right now: shooting. And that’s where Murphy comes in.
Trey Murphy III has quietly become one of the league’s more reliable catch-and-shoot threats. He’s a career 38.1% shooter from deep, with the kind of range and confidence that fits perfectly in Kerr’s system. He doesn’t need the ball to be effective, moves well without it, and can slide into multiple lineup combinations without disrupting the flow.
Kuminga, on the other hand, is a different kind of player. He’s explosive, athletic, and still developing. But his game isn’t built around spacing, and that’s been a sticking point for a Warriors team that’s trying to maximize what remains of their championship window with Curry, Green, and Klay Thompson.
So now the Warriors face a tough decision. Do they hold on to Kuminga and hope he continues to grow into a more complete two-way player? Or do they cash in on his value now to bring in someone who fills a more immediate need?
The answer may depend on how aggressive Golden State wants to be. With the Western Conference as competitive as ever, every roster move could be the difference between contending and treading water. If they believe Murphy is the missing piece, it might be time to make a bold move-even if it means letting go of a player with star potential in Kuminga.