Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors are currently in the midst of a 2024 NBA offseason that hasn't seen the four-time champions gain a whole lot of ground in an increasingly crowded Western Conference playoff picture. While the Warriors have made a couple of savvy signings in the wake of Klay Thompson's departure, Curry still doesn't seem to have nearly enough help at the present moment to make Golden State a legit contender out west.
One name that has been sent through the rumor mill so far this offseason is that of Utah Jazz small forward Lauri Markkanen, who is an elite player but doesn't necessarily figure to fit the same timeline as a rebuilding Jazz squad. As such, the Warriors have been floated as a possible trade destination for him, with young forward Jonathan Kuminga as a potential piece in the return package to Utah, but now, more light is being shed on how Kuminga's contract situation could be complicating those talks.
“Jonathon Kuminga is very interesting and the fact that he’s extension eligible makes it a lot less tempting for a team like, I don’t know, the rebuilding Utah Jazz to want him back in a trade,” reported ESPN NBA insider Tim McMahon on the Hoop Collective podcast recently.
Essentially, McMahon is inferring that if Kuminga were to sign a long term extension, it might make the Jazz waver in their pursuit of him, given their current rebuilding timeline.
What should the Warriors do?
The Warriors are currently in the period that every sports dynasty goes to where they are no longer competing for championships but are still trying to appease the players, in this case Curry and Draymond Green, who made all of the previous success happen.
For his part, Curry is still playing at an elite, if not MVP level entering his age 37 season, but head coach Steve Kerr has shown a clear inability over the last few years to balance the egos of his former stars while still giving his younger players, such as Kuminga, the opportunity to hold the reigns a bit.
This has led Golden State to enter somewhat of a freefall since their 2022 championship, first losing in the second round to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023 before missing the playoffs altogether this year.
In any case, the pressure is certainly on Mike Dunleavy and company to get something worked out before next season begins in October.
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