3-Team Warriors Trade Pitch Finds Kuminga a New Home
With Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas accepting his qualifying offer, there is widespread speculation that the Golden State Warriors could meet a similar fate with their restricted free agent, Jonathan Kuminga.
If Kuminga takes the drastic route, the Warriors will essentially be unable to move him, as the Congolese forward will have a no-trade clause on his expiring deal. As such, the Warriors may need to find him a new home before the start of the 2025-26 season, or else risk losing him for nothing as a free agent next offseason.
Fadeaway World proposed a bold three-team trade pitch that would end the Kuminga saga once and for all, while also helping two other teams improve their rosters.
Warriors would receive: Jaime Jaquez Jr., Rui Hachimura, 2029 first-round pick
Lakers would receive: Andrew Wiggins
Heat would receive: Jonathan Kuminga
A Win-Win-Win Trade?
At the start of free agency, it was widely reported that the Heat had interest in acquiring Kuminga, as the franchise sees a lot of potential in the 22-year-old forward. However, the franchise did not have the salary cap space to prepare an offer sheet for Kuminga.
Elsewhere, the Lakers have been strongly linked to Andrew Wiggins on several occasions. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Lakers “would have interest” in Wiggins if the Heat makes him available, as they view him as the ideal two-way wing who can play elite defense and also knock down timely shots.
And finally, the Warriors may not find a better package for Kuminga than the one mentioned above. Jaime Jacquez Jr., who was in the running for Rookie of the Year in the 2023-24 season, has a lot of room to grow and could be a nice fit in Golden State, and Hachimura will be bring veteran smarts and playoff experience. The first-round pick (via the Heat) wouldn’t hurt them, either.
Jaquez, a Good Fit in Golden State?
Fadeaway World explained why Jacquez, a wing with size and upside, could blossom into a starting-level small forward for the Warriors in the long run.
“Jaquez Jr. possesses an impressive offensive skill set, presenting the possibility of becoming a three-level scorer. While his athleticism isn’t outstanding, he prioritizes footwork and elite shot-making ability to contribute.
“A deal like this would effectively allow the Dubs to expand their wing depth while simultaneously building their roster strength. Additionally, with the Kuminga situation dealt with, the Warriors would be able to complete their pending signings, asserting their status as competitors again.”
Jacquez saw his numbers dip considerably in last season, but some attribute that to injuries and a sophomore slump. The 24-year-old has vowed to bounce back stronger than ever in the 2025-26 season.
“Just kind of leaning into my strengths, as well as working on things that I need to work on, like shooting and defense,” he told the Miami Herald of his offseason focus.
“And just bringing it all together as a whole, I think, is one of the biggest things for me this offseason. I’ve been doing a great job, my trainer out there is really helping me through this process, and it has been great.”
Dodgers Predicted to Sign Top MLB Free Agent After 2025 Season
Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman
The Los Angeles Dodgers have notoriously been one of the top spenders in MLB for several years now. They showed that at the beginning of 2025, they signed many top free agents to improve their roster.
However, that has not led them to become the juggernaut team many analysts and executives thought they would be. Los Angeles is 79-64 and will likely not reach the 90-win mark with just 20 games left this regular season.
Whatever the Dodgers do in the postseason, one MLB Insider believes they will sign the top free agent after 2025.
Dodgers Predicted to Sign Kyle Tucker
The Chicago Cubs’ slugger is having a rough last two months of the season, but is still considered the top free agent.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale believes it will be to the Los Angeles Dodgers:
“Rival executives still believe he’ll be the highest-paid player in free agency,” Bob Nightengale reported Monday. “Their prediction where he’ll land? The Dodgers, who badly could use outfield help.”
The Dodgers could use outfield help, but signing Tucker to say, $400 million would put them far over the luxury tax. But it would address a much-needed positional issue. Los Angeles signed Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million deal before the season, and he has looked like a massive bust the entire season.
Conforto still isn’t above the .200 average mark, despite playing in 124 games. His OPS is 77, well below league average. The Dodgers also traded for left fielder Alex Call back in July, and he hasn’t had much production either. Signing Kyle Tucker in free agency is right up the Dodgers’ wheelhouse.
Although Tucker has struggled for the past few months, he’s still had a solid season. Kyle Tucker still has 22 home runs and an OPS+ of 140.
Kyle Tucker Has So Many Accolades As a Player
Bleacher Report recently came out with a prediction piece about Kyle Tucker’s free agency, and it showed how tenured he is as a player:
“After all, Tucker’s resume includes a World Series title, four All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove. He led the league in RBI in 2023 when he was with the Houston Astros and has hit more than 20 home runs in each of the last five seasons. While he hasn’t been himself since the All-Star break with a .242 batting average, five home runs and 17 RBI, some of that can be explained by injury concerns. And he still has solid overall numbers this season with a .270/.381/.472 slash line, 22 home runs and 73 RBI. Tucker is also just 28 years old, which is another reason he will surely command a significant deal this offseason.”
The next question is how much the Dodgers would pay him, and that will be up to Tucker’s agent.
Fans of other MLB teams would not be happy with the Dodgers making a big-money signing like this, but it would put a lot of pressure on the Cubs to attempt to dish out a higher AAV contract. Tucker’s free agency will be one of the highest-anticipated events this offseason.
