The Golden State Warriors just got forward Jonathan Kuminga back after he missed the team's last eight games with tendonitis. Given how much they have struggled without him, he may make an impact with his return.
On the other hand, he was benched prior to his injury, and his recent comments suggest that there is still a rift between him and the organization.
That makes the decision to trade him all the more obvious, and Golden State should absolutely do so once January 15th, 2026, rolls around. January 15th is the earliest the Warriors can legally trade him, and they should be anxious to do so, even though they are struggling.
At 10-10, Golden State needs a shake-up, and despite his inconsistent play, he had several trade suitors this past summer. The Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, and Phoenix Suns were rumored to have interest in him, and each team could be willing to revisit a Kuminga trade come January.
The Warriors must finally be done with Jonathan Kuminga
The Kings, according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fisher, are willing to trade almost every player on their roster, including Domantas Sabonis. A more realistic option might be Malik Monk and Keon Ellis in a deal for Kuminga.
Getting two rotation players for one might appeal to the Warriors, who can start fresh without having to worry about Kuminga's development or losing him for nothing.
Look, not having a former seventh overall pick work out isn't a good look for the Warriors. After all, he would be the second top 10 pick in the last five years to flame out, behind James Wiseman.
The Warriors must prioritize moving on over holding out
That being said, that would be sunk cost fallacy. Golden State would be far better off just moving on and seeing what they can get for Kuminga rather than keeping him and hoping for a better deal or that he will figure it out and be an impact player for them.
The latter is likely never going to happen, even despite him having a strong start to the season. Even with him back from injury, he will be coming off the bench and forced to have to prove himself again.
Therefore, trading him will be the far better choice, not only for Golden State but for Kuminga as well. That makes the Warriors' decision painfully obvious when Kuminga returns.