Jonathan Kuminga requested a trade away from the Warriors the day he became trade eligible (Jan 15th). It’s been brewing for a long time, as he was in contentious negotiations with the Dubs in the offseason for a new contract. At this point, even on a new deal, it seems like the water is beginning to boil over.
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Amid the trade controversy, Steve Kerr refuses to elaborate on the request by Kuminga. He claims ahead of the game tonight that the relationship between the two is fine. The coach then discussed how it’s a difficult situation for everyone, and they’re simply trying to move forward.
“Our relationship is fine,” Kerr said of Kuminga via 95.7 The Game. “There’s not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. It is what it is. Difficult situation for everybody. Part of this league, part of the job. So, we just keep moving forward.”
It was an awfully reserved response by Kerr. There were clearly tensions between him and Kuminga in the offseason, especially over his role with the team. The forward seemingly wants to be a bigger part of an offense. Yet, this season, he’s regressed scoring-wise.
“Our relationship is fine. There’s not a whole lot I can say about the other stuff. It is what it is. Difficult situation for everybody… We just keep moving forward.”
Steve Kerr on Jonathan Kuminga wanting out of Golden State pic.twitter.com/yZM1I41LGl
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) January 16, 2026
Despite the regression, Kuminga is still the third leading scorer for the Warriors. He’s a talented player, and teams will certainly be interested in making a move for him.
Kuminga Not A Distraction
Furthermore, Kerr doubled down on his statements later in the interview. He was asked if he thinks that Kuminga will now be a distraction in the locker room with the trade request. Here’s what he said:
“It won’t be a distraction. Jonathan’s a great young guy. His teammates like him. He’s handling himself well,” Kerr said.
It was some confident responses from one of the best coaches in the NBA. Because of that, we won’t doubt him too much. But at the same time, a trade request doesn’t arise out of nowhere.
It’ll be interesting to see if any teams send an offer for Kuminga. As mentioned earlier, he’s a talented player. On the right team, he could be a valuable scoring option. But if it still doesn’t work out in his next destination, he might need to readjust his expectations for his role on a team.
