Just-in: Klay Thompson or Draymond Green are not wanted by the Warriors

Sports organizations as a whole are probably untrustworthy when it comes to believing what they say about trading their players. NBA organizations are definitely no exception.

Remember this Adrian Wojnarowski clip from ESPN about Kevin Durant on the Brooklyn Nets, when they had “no intentions of trading him”.

Yeah, that was big cap. But at the end of the day it is what it is. Except in Golden State, where the Warriors are refusing to break up their core. At least per a report from Warriors on NBCS.

Yeah yeah I know the team is struggling, but these guys have earned the right to go out on their own terms. It was just 2022 that they won a freakin’ NBA championship! It’d be a shame to break up these guys after all they’ve done for the franchise and for the Bay Area.

At least for now I guess, like I said before, the NBA is a fickle place.

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Why Draymond believes JK is becoming a ‘star’ with Warriors

Roughly a month after frustrated comments about his inconsistent playing time, Jonathan Kuminga has been on a tear for the Warriors — and one of the 21-year-old’s veteran teammates proudly has taken notice.

“In other news, Jonathan Kuminga is a star, man,” Draymond Green emphatically said on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show.” “That young fella is a stud. Getting to the basket at will, finishing with the best of them, getting to his spots — nobody can stop him from getting to his spots. [He’s] showing you the promise that we’ve all believed is there. He’s stepping into that now. He’s playing a big role on this team now and that’s not changing, no time soon.

“[Kuminga’s] been very dominant … And if I’m not mistaken, that’s seven straight games of over 20 points. And it’s a dominant 20, like, you notice it. It ain’t just like he’s just coming up with 20. ‘Oh, I didn’t know,’ no, you’re noticing him dominate.”

Since Golden State selected Kuminga at No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, the forward has struggled to convince coach Steve Kerr he’s worthy of big-time minutes.

However, Kerr now seems on board.

As Green mentioned, Kuminga is averaging 25.3 points on 60.4-percent shooting over Golden State’s last six games, also snagging 7.0 rebounds a night.

The forward’s persistence and recent excellence landed him a key role in the Warriors’ 2023-24 campaign, and Green believes nobody should be surprised.

“It’s been a joy to watch him over the last three years now, continue to grow [and] put the work in,” Green explained. “And regardless [of] what has come in front of him, sometimes [it’s] minutes not being consistent — that’s all a part of it — that’s a part of this league. Especially, when you come on a team like he came on a team. That is a part of it. But he stayed the course [and] continued to put the work in. A lot of credit to that young fella. [He] and [coach Anthony Vereen] put a lot of work in, watch a lot of film. And to see it pay off for him, that’s what you hope [for].