TL;DR
On his latest podcast, Bill Simmons floated a different kind of win-now jolt: trade spare veterans and a pick to Golden State for 21-year-old forward Jonathan Kuminga. His reasoning is that Kuminga’s upside fits Cade Cunningham’s timeline better than chasing pricey free agents. We unpack Simmons’ mock deal, the salary math, and whether the Warriors would even consider it.
Bill Simmons’ Mock Proposal
Simmons suggested shipping Tobias Harris and a lightly-protected 2027 first-rounder to Golden State. Detroit takes on Kuminga’s $7.6 million third-year salary and gains full Bird rights. Harris’ expiring $39 million gives the Warriors luxury-tax relief while keeping them competitive this season. Simmons argued Detroit “buys a stock on the rise” without surrendering a core piece.
| Season | Age | Status | Cap Hit | Cap % | Luxury Tax Hit | Tax % | Cash Earned | Cumulative Cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 19 | Active | $5,466,360 | 4.86 % | $5,466,360 | 4.00 % | $5,466,360 | $5,466,360 |
| 2022-23 | 20 | Active | $5,739,840 | 4.64 % | $5,739,840 | 3.82 % | $5,739,840 | $11,206,200 |
| 2023-24 | 21 | Club Option ✔︎ | $6,012,840 | 4.42 % | $6,012,840 | 3.64 % | $6,012,840 | $17,219,040 |
| 2024-25 | 22 | Club Option ✔︎ | $7,636,307 | 5.43 % | $7,636,307 | 4.47 % | $7,636,307 | $24,855,347 |
| 2025-26 | 23 | RFA | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Contract Notes:
• 2023-24: Club Option (exercised 10/31/22)
• 2024-25: Club Option (exercised 10/31/23)
Jonathan Kuminga’s Fit Next to Cade
Kuminga averaged 16.1 points on 38 percent from three after 1 January, giving Detroit the downhill burst and spacing it lacks at the four. Sliding him into the starting lineup bumps Isaiah Stewart into an energy role off the bench and unlocks Cunningham–Ivey–Kuminga pick-and-roll actions that stretch defenses side-to-side. At 21 years old he lines up neatly with Jalen Duren (20) and Ausar Thompson (22), keeping the core on the same development clock.
How the numbers read
| Player | Net Rating ON (B-Ref) | Net ON-OFF (B-Ref) | Team D/100 ON (CTG) | D ON-OFF (CTG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ausar Thompson | +4.3 | +3.5 | 115.1 | –2.7 |
| Isaiah Stewart | +0.6 | –2.1 | 117.0 | –0.3 |
| Marvin Bagley III | –5.2 | +4.5 | 119.8 | +4.5 |
| Jonathan Kuminga | +0.7 | –3.9 | 113.2 | +1.9 |
Sources: Basketball-Reference Play-by-Play (net ratings, garbage time included) and Cleaning the Glass defensive on/off (garbage time removed).
- Net rating combines offense and defense. A negative ON-OFF means the team plays worse overall with the player on the court.
- Defensive ON-OFF isolates points allowed; positive here means the defense loosens when the player is on.
What it means
- Thompson is already Detroit’s top defensive wing; the team allows 2.7 fewer points per 100 with him.
- Kuminga improves Golden State’s offense enough to post a positive net rating, yet the defense concedes 1.9 more points per 100 when he plays.
- Detroit would gain athleticism and scoring upside, but it would still need a true defensive stopper at power forward to climb the league rankings.
Kuminga’s profile is far from disastrous, and his age-aligned upside could outweigh the defensive learning curve if the price in draft capital stays reasonable.
Will the Warriors Bite?
Golden State pays a projected $192 million tax bill in 2025. Flipping Kuminga for an expiring deal and a future pick trims roughly $55 million in repeater tax. Yet Steve Kerr labeled Kuminga “a cornerstone” at exit interviews. For the proposal to stick, Detroit’s pick likely needs to be unprotected or sweetened with a swap in 2029.
Key Takeaways
- Simmons pitches Detroit as a value buyer, not a rental shopper.
- Kuminga solves athleticism and long-range upside while staying on rookie-scale money.
- Warriors would demand a premium pick to offset losing a young starter.
Bottom Line
A Kuminga swing offers more runway than a veteran splash—but only if Detroit can pry him loose without mortgaging multiple firsts. For now, it’s a podcast-friendly “what if,” yet it underlines Detroit’s need for a dynamic wing who actually fits its timeline.
Salary data via Spotrac. Advanced metrics via Basketball Reference. This post was drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked by the DSN editorial desk.
