Warriors cool on Kuminga trade as Lakers, Rockets and Bulls weigh deadline moves
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The Golden State Warriors are signaling reduced urgency to move forward Jonathan Kuminga after Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has reiterated that he will not accept an unfavorable package simply to honor the player’s trade request, and multiple team sources told ESPN that a deal is now considered less likely before the February 5 deadline.
Butler’s absence limits Golden State’s ceiling this season and removes the spacing issues head coach Steve Kerr cited when playing Kuminga alongside Butler and Draymond Green. With Butler out, Kuminga has a clearer path to regular minutes once he returns from a knee injury, which team insiders hope will happen ahead of the deadline.
Sacramento remains the most persistent suitor, yet the Warriors have shown no interest in taking back contracts that extend past this season—names such as Malik Monk and DeMar DeRozan have been mentioned in talks but do not fit Golden State’s salary preferences.
Lakers seek pick flexibility
Dave McMenamin reports that the Los Angeles Lakers are exploring a swap of their lone tradable first-round pick (either 2031 or 2032) for multiple lower-value firsts, mimicking a strategy Phoenix employed with Utah last year. The front office believes additional picks would allow for separate trades rather than waiting for a single blockbuster opportunity.
Rockets eye frontcourt help
Despite signing center Clint Capela in free agency, Houston is again considering another big man, Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports writes. Steven Adams remains sidelined long term, and the Rockets’ top-five offense hinges on league-leading offensive rebounding fueled by larger lineups. Management is evaluating both trade and buyout markets for frontcourt depth.
Bulls not ready to sell
Widely viewed as potential sellers, the Chicago Bulls sit just 1.5 games from a guaranteed playoff spot. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report hears that the club would prefer to bolster its postseason bid while adding young, athletic pieces to pair with Josh Giddey and rookie Matas Buzelis.
In a separate overview, ESPN’s Bobby Marks groups the NBA’s 30 teams into eight categories to outline each organization’s approach and available assets ahead of the trade deadline.
Source: HoopsRumors
