Rumours of Kuminga departure heat up as player “demands trade away”
Jonathan Kuminga’s future at the Warriors looks to be coming to an end.
The smoke, fire, and destruction is visible for miles around the rumours regarding Jonathan Kuminga’s increasingly unlikely future with the Golden State Warriors as the story takes a new turn.
On Thursday, the forward officially made his long-rumoured trade demand now that he is eligible to be dealt under NBA rules.
And league insiders were quick to confirm to ESPN that Kuminga has asked the organisation to move him on before the February 5 trade deadline.
The 23-year-old showed plenty of promise during his five seasons at the Warriors, but this season’s ups and downs have finally had a terminal effect. He began 2025-26 as a starter and head coach Steve Kerr spoke warmly of his play, but a mix of inconsistency and benching soon followed, with fan opinion changes not far behind.
Happy Kuminga Trade-Eligible Day!
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) January 15, 2026
Across a total of 18 games this season, Kuminga has put up 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists; since the drop off, Kuminga has not played in 13 consecutive fixtures, raising questions about how he fits into the side. The coach recently admitted that “I’m disappointed for him that things didn’t continue to go the way they did the first couple of weeks," only adding to the overall opinion of the player in Warriors world.
As well as his performances, sources say the relationship between Kuminga and the Warriors organisation has soured over time; during this past offseason’s restricted free agency, the two sides struggled to agree on a long-term deal as friction caused sparks.
The financial arrangement with the Warriors has been a central part of his failing marriage with the franchise. After a protracted negotiation this past offseason, Kuminga agreed to a two-year contract reportedly worth around $48.5 million, a deal that increased his earnings from the roughly $7.9 million qualifying offer.
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Under the terms, his 2025-26 salary is about $22.5 million, with a team option on the second season, meaning Golden State can decide whether to keep him for 2026-27 at roughly $24.3 million or let him become a free agent; the deal also makes him trade eligible as of January 15. The Warriors have until Feb. 5, the NBA’s trade deadline, to get a deal done.
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