Finally, the saga is over. Jonathan Kuminga’s trade request has been fulfilled, and he’s heading to the Atlanta Hawks with Buddy Hield in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.
Let’s get into grading the latest NBA dealings.
Golden State Warriors Grade: B-
This deal had to happen. The relationship between the Warriors and Kuminga had broken down, and that meant they were never going to get appropriate value for his departure. It’s hard to ignore the mismanagement that led to this point, but we’re grading it on what it does for their future.
Kristaps Porzingis’s health struggles make this difficult. In theory, he’s an excellent fit for this team as an elite defender and floor spacer who fits well alongside Draymond Green. But since being diagnosed with POTS, a disease that causes rapid onset faintness when moving too much, his availability has been tough. Porzingis has managed to play in only 17 games this season, playing 24 minutes a night.
To my eyes, the main motivation is financial. Kuminga had a team option for next season, and the Warriors didn’t want to lose him for nothing. Buddy Hield makes $9 million next year and has been out of the rotation for most of the season. Porzingis’s $30 million salary is expiring, and it gives Golden State an avenue to open up cap space as they look to reshape the roster. That, plus being rid of the Kuminga experience, is enough to make this a good deal for Golden State.
Atlanta Hawks Grade: D
I’ll be honest: I don’t get why the Hawks did this.
It was smart to roll the dice on Porzingis, and it was hard to predict just how bad his injury would be. After the Trae Young relationship broke down, this team was heading for a retool. My expectation was that the Hawks would let CJ McCollum, Porzingis, and others expire in the offseason so they could work with some cap space. Now that plan is more up in the air.
Buddy Hield’s $9 million commitment isn’t bad, but they have a massive glut of guards who play off the ball, so he likely won’t play much. And Kuminga is a dubious fit with Jalen Johnson being so ball-dominant. They have a few months to evaluate whether or not he can fit on the roster long term before deciding on his team option.
In theory, they did get a very talented player for cheap, considering Porzingis’s frequent absence. But Kuminga has been causing the Warriors headaches, and there’s a chance he could bring bad vibes to the team. I wouldn’t be risking that after so recently going through a tough breakup with Trae Young.
