Report: Warriors need to trade Kuminga if they want Nets’ Cam Johnson

According to sources nearby the Warriors and Nets organization, another Brooklyn player was nearly shipped to California as part of their recent trade for Dennis Schroder, but it would’ve only been possible at a high cost. Would you have traded Cam Johnson for Jonathan Kuminga? 

Reports by NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer revealed that to acquire the veteran guard and Johnson in a package deal, Golden State would have “almost certainly” have to give up their former lottery pick.

ESPN’s Shams Charania also reported last week that the Nets received plenty of interest in Dennis, Cameron and also forward Dorian Finney-Smith, which opened several “exploratory conversations” with interested franchises, including the Warriors, who were looking into in all three Brooklyn players.

Nets pushed for Kuminga in trade talks for Schroder and Johnson #BrooklynNets #CamJohnson #DennisSchroder #JonathanKuminga https://t.co/68Rqnr9wqX

— TalkBasket (@TalkBasket) December 16, 2024

After Kuminga’s breakout performances in recent weeks, it simply didn’t make any sense for them, as the 22-year-old continues to solidify his case as a consolidated starter for the Golden State cause. during his four years in San Francisco, Jonathan has shown mere glimpses of his potential.

Many believe this will be the campaign in which JK will finally step up as his team’s secondary scorer alongside Warriors icon Stephen Curry, who has held this responsibility over his shoulders for over a decade now. After Klay Thompson’s departure this summer, the offensive weight has grown heavier.

With the 22-year-old’s increased role this season, his club will remain patient with his development. “It makes more sense for Golden State to give it more time before going to such lengths to see how Kuminga continues to handle a role that the Warriors have gradually been expanding,” Stein and Fischer wrote.

They then added a second scenario: “Whether saving Kuminga for down-the-road trade talks can help them land a true All-Star-caliber sidekick for Stephen Curry after the Warriors’ unsuccessful offseason trade pursuits of Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.”

Steve Kerr announced to fans that this week they should be able to witness the German international’s debut with a Warriors jersey

First thing is first, as Golden State will want to see how Schroder will fit into the team this week during practice. However, coach Steve Kerr is convinced that fans will be able to see him play very soon. “He’s a gamer, he’s a competitor, pick-and-roll player, two-way player,” the tactician said of his new recruit.

“You got to do what you got to do to get better, so it was a move that we felt like made perfect sense,” Kerr assured this weekend. “He will fill what Melton was doing for us in terms of being able to play off the ball, excellent defender, long wingspan. He’s a steals guy, forces turnovers, pace. Everything that we need, we feel like he can provide.”

Another positive impact is how the German veteran will influence the team’s younger core, as the Warriors coach believes second-year guard Brandin Podzkiemski will have a lot to learn from his new teammate. “I think this will help Brandin.

“If you think about last year, he was playing next to Chris Paul and/or Steph [Curry] most of his minutes,” he told reporters before Sunday’s match against Dallas. “This year, stepping into a primary ball handling role, that’s a much tougher job. I think this will actually help him settle into a more familiar role that he was in last year.”