Curry on Kuminga’s trade request: “It’s not a distraction”
Stephen Curry downplays Jonathan Kuminga’s trade request as the Warriors get back to winning. With the trade deadline approaching, the young forward’s future now seems all but decided
The Golden State Warriors are enjoying one of the best stretches of their season. Four wins in their last five games, including a 126-113 victory over the New York Knicks, have restored confidence and continuity to a team that looked shaky just a few weeks ago.
Yet while the on-court product tells a positive story, a delicate issue remains unresolved off the floor: Jonathan Kuminga’s trade request.
Stephen Curry’s stance on the Kuminga situation
Clarifying the locker-room atmosphere was Stephen Curry, who publicly addressed an issue that has hovered over the Warriors for weeks.
Despite Kuminga’s complete absence from the rotation – zero minutes played over the past month – Golden State’s leader sought to downplay the impact on the group:
It’s not a distraction. It’s a very unique situation. Our job is to keep playing and winning. It’ll get resolved one way or another.
Stephen Curry
Words that reflect the franchise’s approach: focus on the present, with the understanding that the situation will be resolved before the February 5 trade deadline.
Jonathan Kuminga increasingly distant from the Warriors
It’s now evident that the relationship between Jonathan Kuminga and Golden State has reached its breaking point. The 2002-born forward and his camp have formally requested a trade, a move that makes sense given his total exclusion from the team’s plans in recent weeks.
His contract, however, remains a strategic asset for the Warriors, who could use it as trade currency to upgrade the roster for the second half of the season.
Which direction for a Kuminga trade?
Kuminga’s future remains uncertain, as does the return Golden State might secure. Some avenues appear already closed:
- Trey Murphy is not a realistic option, with the Pelicans asking too much.
- Michael Porter Jr. was never a true target.
More plausible is the idea of leveraging Kuminga to land a high-level center, a position the Warriors have been looking to strengthen for some time.
One thing seems clear: Jonathan Kuminga has likely already played his final game in a Warriors jersey.
What comes next in his career remains to be seen:
- Will he finally unlock his potential in a different environment?
- Or will he put up numbers without truly impacting a losing team?
The answers will come soon. In the meantime, Golden State moves forward, guided by a Curry who continues to preach calm and confidence.