Since trading away Jordan Poole on draft day in 2023, the Golden State Warriors have lacked an explosive scoring guard beyond Stephen Curry, and consistently been without a microwave bench scorer who can reach 20 points per game.
Jonathan Kuminga briefly appeared on track to become that bench scorer in early January, but a significant ankle injury stopped his progress and has now seen him removed from the Warrior rotation entirely over the last three games.
Kuminga's future with the franchise is subsequently now under serious question ahead of restricted free agency this summer, with many believing it's not a matter of if the 22-year-old leaves the Bay, but more so what the Warriors could get back in return via a sign-and-trade.
Warriors find their Jordan Poole replacement in proposed Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade
Given Stephen Curry will be turning 38 next season and Jimmy Butler 36, Golden State could probably do with a younger piece to take a reasonable part of the scoring load. If that's not going to be Kuminga, they probably need to fill the void through another means.
Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz believes Anfernee Simons could be the answer, recently proposing a sign-and-trade of Kuminga and fellow fourth-year lottery pick Moses Moody in exchange for the Portland Trail Blazers guard.
"Simons, 25, averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists and shot 36.3 percent from deep for Portland this past season and could start alongside Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green or become a super sixth man for a team in need of a little more dependable youth," Swartz wrote.
Simons would certainly bring an offensive punch to the Warriors that they've probably lacked since the departure of Poole. The former first-round pick averaged 22.6 and 21.1 points in the two years before this season, and is a career 38.1% 3-point shooter on 6.5 attempts per game.
Simons also has only one year remaining on the four-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2022, so it's not as if Golden State would be taking on a bad long-term contract by any means. With Curry, Simons and Brandin Podziemski, the Warriors would have a potent and deep guard rotation, though it would leave some conjecture on what their plans are over the long-term when Simons and Podziemski are up for new deals.
The issue with this trade proposal isn't Kuminga, it's giving up Moody who's currently a starter on a bonafide playoff team. Not only that, but Moody is on an incredibly team-friendly looking contract that's likely to only become more valuable as the next few years play out.
Summary:
After the departure of Andrew Wiggins, Moody is playing a key role as a 3-and-D starting wing that the Warriors otherwise lack on their current roster. Simons may be a better player, but when you factor in role and the respective contracts, it's not a deal Golden State should be making.
Now, add Buddy Hield in place of Moody and this is a trade the Warriors would seriously consider.
