Trae Young, Jonathan Kuminga’s futures take center stage in latest NBA trade deadline intel

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Trae Young, Jonathan Kuminga’s futures take center stage in latest NBA trade deadline intel

Brett Siegel, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Wed, Jan 7, 2026 ·

20 min read

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Trae Young, Jonathan Kuminga's futures take center stage in latest NBA trade deadline intel appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

What will happen with Trae Young leading up to the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline? This has become the focal question around the league at the start of 2026, as Young and his camp have begun discussing the idea of a trade with the Atlanta Hawks . Not only has Young become the focus of this year's deadline, but Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors continue to count down the days until he becomes trade-eligible.

Kuminga, who signed a two-year contract with the Warriors as a restricted free agent this past offseason with the mindset that he would likely be on the move, will be eligible to be traded on Jan. 15.

Along with the big names we have been mentioning in trade rumors through the holiday season, like Giannis Antetokounmpo , Anthony Davis , Domantas Sabonis , and others, Young and Kuminga are now at the forefront of this year's trade season, with roughly four weeks until the 2026 NBA trade deadline.

However, unlike last season's deadline, which was full of shocking moves involving Davis, Luka Doncic , Jimmy Butler , and De'Aaron Fox, this year's trade period has a level of predictability attached to it. Around the NBA, it has become abundantly clear that teams are a lot more cognizant of the tax aprons and their immediate financial futures.

That is the main reason why many organizations have been hesitant to make big trades in the middle of the season. It is also why there are so few actual sellers, which leads to the notion that more multi-team trades will be made than usual ahead of Feb. 5.

Although it seemed like Giannis and Davis would be the two big names controlling this year's deadline, everyone is now playing the waiting game in order to see what happens in Atlanta with Young, who could be the first big domino to fall this trade season.

Can Hawks find a Trae Young trade?

Editor's note: This section on Trae Young has since been updated as of 6:54 pm ET on January 7 regarding the Hawks and Wizards being in advanced trade discussions.

When contract extension talks between Young, his camp, and the Hawks did not trend in a positive direction this past offseason, it seemed like only a matter of time before tensions boiled over and the organization looked to move in a different direction.

The emergence of Dyson Daniels as the league's Most Improved Player last season and Jalen Johnson becoming an All-Star-worthy talent this season has made it clear that the Hawks no longer need Young.

As a result, his representation and the Hawks' front office are collaborating to find a resolution and a potential trade before the Feb. 5 deadline. The goal Young and his camp hold in talks with Atlanta is to find a destination where he can immediately receive a new contract extension , league sources told ClutchPoints.

The Hawks are keeping an open mind to any and all paths that present themselves over the next few weeks, while also understanding what Young and his representation want. The guard is making roughly $46 million this season and has a player option worth nearly $49 million for the 2026-27 season. All indications suggest that Young will exercise his option, which leads to obvious complications in a potential trade.

Although he is an All-Star guard who recently led the league in assists, Young's style of play and lack of defensive intensity are the main reasons why his value is low. As a result, the Washington Wizards have emerged as the only real suitor for Young and his desired landing spot, offering a swap of veteran guard CJ McCollum for the Hawks star, sources said. Such a move would require the Wizards to include an extra $6.8 million in outgoing salary to absorb Young's contract.

Both the Hawks and Wizards have engaged in active trade conversations since the start of the week, and those discussions have since intensified as of Wednesday evening . Corey Kispert is also expected to join McCollum in the framework of said deal, which was first reported by NBA insider Marc Stein.

The Wizards have continued to maintain the mindset that they hold no interest in sacrificing any young assets. The inclusion of youthful talents in a deal for Young is something the Hawks have desired, especially given Washington's request for draft compensation to be included by Atlanta.

These two sides are in the later stages of negotiations, league sources said, with draft compensation being the final hurdle to cross. Whereas Washington believes they should gain at least one draft pick for taking on Young, with his value being so low, the Hawks believe they should receive a first-round pick for the All-Star-quality guard.

There have also been talks about the possibility of another team being involved to help facilitate the trade. At this point, it appears as if Young will be heading to the Wizards after spending the first eight years of his career in Atlanta.

Outside of Washington, the Sacramento Kings continue to signal they are not interested in trading for Young, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, and league sources told ClutchPoints neither the Brooklyn Nets nor the Houston Rockets , two rumored suitors for Young, are interested in a trade with Atlanta.

Although the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks have also been mentioned in recent rumors regarding Young, it doesn't appear as if either organization has what the Hawks would want in return. Milwaukee continues to search for a significant upgrade around Giannis with virtually no draft capital to trade, and such a move for Minnesota would force them to trade one of their core players, which the Wolves don't hold interest in doing.

Washington appears to be the only true path for the Hawks to move their star guard with certainty at this time, which is why a deal continues to be discussed between the two sides.

With this said, the Hawks will not be operating as sellers at this year's trade deadline, and the franchise continues to search the trade market outside of Young to find upgrades around Daniels and Johnson, sources said. Anthony Davis continues to be the biggest name associated with Atlanta.

As reported weeks ago following the NBA G League Showcase, league executives have also brought up the Hawks as a potential landing spot for Chicago Bulls guard Coby White . If a move to trade Young is made, potentially replacing him with the 25-year-old guard would give the Hawks a dynamic scoring guard on the same timeline as their young core.

White is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The Bulls continue to field calls from numerous teams interested in White. The Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks , and LA Clippers are among several teams from the Western Conference interested in the Bulls guard, sources said.

Speaking of the Mavs, their trade talks centered around Davis with the Hawks have gone nowhere. Despite a growing belief that Atlanta and Dallas were deep in negotiations about a potential trade involving the 10-time All-Star big man, conflicting communication between the two parties has led to stalled negotiations.

While the Mavericks believed that the Hawks were signaling that 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher would be involved in said trade talks , Atlanta has only rebuffed such claims, making it clear they don't intend to trade Risacher. Other teams around the league continue to say different things about the Hawks in what has turned into a giant game of "he said, she said."

Dallas holds no interest in discussing a Young-Davis swap, resulting in the trade talks between the two sides ending for now.

The Hawks are operating in a very unique situation leading up to the trade deadline since they are attempting to sell Young on the trade market while also buy, utilizing the expiring contracts of Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard .

Jonathan Kuminga preparing to be moved

Even though it has been apparent since last season that Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors are not on the same page as one another, the 23-year-old forward remains on the Dubs' roster. However, he has not played since Dec. 18, and Kuminga's apparent refusal to play in recent games when the team's starters were out has sent a clear message to the organization.

Kuminga and his camp believe it is in his best interest to stay ready behind the scenes and no longer let Steve Kerr's decisions regarding the young forward's minutes impact his value in the eyes of other potential suitors around the league, sources said. Not to mention, Kuminga's side doesn't want to risk him getting injured.

From the Warriors' perspective, they have been working diligently to get a grasp on Kuminga's trade market from the other 29 teams in the league since the offseason. That mindset has continued into the first half of the 2025-26 season, and the general consensus within the walls of the organization is that Kuminga has played his final game in a Warriors uniform, sources said.

The two sides parting ways continues to look likely before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, yet teams around the NBA are cognizant of his value declining every day Kerr doesn't play him and the Warriors' desperation to make a significant roster move. That is why, while Golden State remains confident in its ability to get a deal done, there is still doubt surrounding the ability to get immediate value for Kuminga.

Any scenario where Kuminga would be traded before Feb. 5 would likely involve multiple teams, as the Warriors continue to wait and see which teams make moves first. The Kings, Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans continue to be interested in Kuminga, but will they be involved in other, bigger trades first?

Such a scenario could open the door for the Warriors to jump in as a third or fourth party in a multi-team trade, utilizing Kuminga's contract to add a win-now talent another team may not desire. A great example of this would be if the Bucks strike a deal with the Kings or someone else that parts ways with either Bobby Portis or Myles Turner , two players the Warriors have long been interested in.

If the Bucks were to possibly trade for Zach LaVine from Sacramento, maybe whatever Milwaukee relinquishes could be rerouted in a Kuminga deal. The same could be said if the Bucks strike a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant , another key name continuing to be brought up in conversations about Milwaukee's trade deadline plans.

Portland is another team recently mentioned as a potential suitor for Kuminga, according to Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo Sports. Speaking of the Blazers, could Golden State potentially look to buy low on a player like Kris Murray ? He was a prospect the Warriors liked a lot during the pre-draft process in 2023, and he fits the mold of the type of forward this team wants. Then again, he is not the same impactful player as his brother, Keegan, in Sacramento.

Teams are keeping an eye on Portland past this year's trade deadline, given its financial situation. If the Blazers hold onto Grant, the franchise will need to make major cap decisions in the summer.

Although the Warriors are making it clear that they are seeking talent on the wing, there is a very limited market for such players right now. As a result, the Dubs may be forced to wait until closer to the trade deadline to finalize anything with Kuminga.

Perhaps the biggest name at the forward position that many teams, including the Warriors, have discussed whether or not to pursue is Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. Since being traded to Brooklyn in the offseason, Porter has been playing the best basketball of his career, increasing his value in trade talks.

At the same time, the Nets are in no rush to make a decision on Porter's future and have simply been receptive to incoming calls. Brooklyn won't begin to consider any trade packages for Porter, or Nic Claxton for that matter, without the inclusion of a true unprotected first-round pick, among other assets.

The Los Angeles Lakers , like the Warriors, are also searching for immediate help on the wing. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III are the obvious dream targets for teams like Golden State and Los Angeles. However, league sources continue to downplay the Pelicans trading either young wing unless a team overpays with multiple first-round picks.

New Orleans continues to signal a high asking price for Jones and Murphy because the market for those types of players is so dry. As a result, the Pelicans can essentially set the market wherever they'd like. Saddiq Bey is another Pelicans player who will start drawing trade interest.

It has been difficult for the Lakers, like the Warriors, to find adequate talent worth trading for on the wing without sacrificing their entire future. That is why secondary talents like Isaac Okoro , Keon Ellis , and Haywood Highsmith continue to be realistic options. Maybe there could even be a reunion between Kyle Kuzma and the Lakers should he be the best wing available on the market.

The Mavs are likely to be more of sellers than buyers at the trade deadline, so keep an eye on Naji Marshall being a 3-and-D-type wing that many teams could turn their attention to. Of course, the big name in Dallas who is the most likely to be on the move is Davis.

There continues to be chatter about the Warriors being in the mix for Davis, a player they have long been linked to given his skills in the frontcourt, yet Golden State is not actively pursuing the Dallas star, team sources told ClutchPoints. A decision to trade for Davis would result in the Warriors sacrificing either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler, something Golden State keeps signaling will not happen.

Many within the Warriors' organization also have concerns about Davis' recent injury history and his availability moving forward if they did strongly consider a trade with the Mavs. It would come as a major shock to many organizations if Golden State moved either Green or Butler for Davis.

Instead, other frontcourt options the Dubs have internally discussed are Portis, Turner, Nic Claxton, Robert Williams III , and Daniel Gafford , sources said. Although the Warriors are hoping to flip Kuminga's contract into a key wing talent, the team has continued to evaluate the market for potential upgrades at the center position.

Bucks, Raptors to be big buyers in East?

If you've seen notable players being discussed as potential trade targets for teams, they have likely been connected to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Jon Horst and the Bucks' front office have been working extremely hard over the last month to devise a plan for how they want to attack the NBA trade deadline this season. The primary goal in Milwaukee is to prove to Giannis Antetokounmpo that this organization can regain its championship relevance, but time is running out.

Even though the Bucks have won five of their last seven games to move to 16-20 overall this season, just four games back of the top six in the East standings, there is an enormous amount of pressure to make a significant change in Milwaukee.

Jerami Grant and Zach LaVine continue to be among the top trade targets for the team to increase their offensive potential, and the Bucks recently made calls to the Phoenix Suns , checking in on the availability of Jalen Green , sources said. However, the Suns are not interested in moving the young guard and view him as a potential deadline addition for themselves when he returns from injury.

Even Trae Young and Anthony Davis have been mentioned as possible targets, albeit long-shot ones. That goes to show how desperate this Bucks front office is right now, as they are working every angle possible to understand which players are and aren't obtainable before Feb. 5.

Any trade the Bucks make will very likely involve multiple teams since Kuzma, Portis, and Turner are their only paths to potentially upgrading their playoff chances this season. Kuzma is the likeliest Bucks player to be on the move, with Turner unlikely to be traded.

Multiple teams around the league are keeping an eye on Milwaukee to see what happens with Portis, a tough-minded big man who can stretch the floor and be an instant source of energy coming off the bench for playoff-contending teams. The Charlotte Hornets , Suns, and Warriors are among the handful of teams mentioned as suitors for Portis in a buy-low spot, assuming the Bucks include his contract to make a substantial upgrade in a different trade.

Maybe even a team like the Lakers, who desperately need toughness in their frontcourt, would view Portis as a viable option.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors keep coming up in conversations about this year's trade deadline as potential sneaky buyers, a similar position this organization was in a season ago.

Last year, the Raptors unexpectedly made a big addition by trading for Brandon Ingram despite being in a position where they were still rebuilding, and it seems like new GM Bobby Webster and this franchise will once again be aggressive on the trade market.

Although it is known that Toronto would like to move below the tax line this season, this team is also continuing to see what big moves could potentially be available to them , including stars like Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis at the top of the list. Sabonis is a very interesting name that keeps being connected to Toronto, with league personnel continuing to question any new information about the Raptors and Sabonis.

It seems like so many conversations since the new year have branched off to Toronto and Sabonis, which can't be a coincidence. Even so, talk of Sabonis in Sacramento remains quiet, with him continuing to try and work his way back from a partial meniscus tear in his left knee.

Perhaps there is more to the constant questions being asked about the Kings and Raptors, especially considering Toronto has two players Sacramento executive Scott Perry drafted when he was with the New York Knicks : Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett .

Given their need to find their guard of the future, maybe there is an actual path to the Kings and Raptors coming to terms on what could be the biggest deal of the trade deadline involving Sabonis. And, of course, there is then the possibility of this scenario becoming a multi-team trade.

Just keep in mind that the Raptors haven't been afraid to pull off big, unexpected moves, and they also have held interest in Malik Monk in recent years. A package of Sabonis, Monk, and Ellis for Quickley and Barrett raises an eyebrow. This is not to say that the two teams have discussed such a deal, but it could be a potential framework if these teams get serious.

If, by some chance, the Raptors were to trade Barrett, he would have a very interesting market, given how few wings are available right now. The Toronto native has played well when healthy this year, and he would fit that mold of an athletic scoring wing that many teams are looking for at this year's trade deadline.

The Bucks expressed interest in Barrett last year, and maybe there is a hypothetical scenario where the Raptors add Sabonis, and Barrett gets rerouted to Golden State for Kuminga, whom the Kings still very much want.

This is why the trade deadline this year is so interesting, as there will be multiple trades made involving at least three teams for financial reasons and because many teams are waiting to see who becomes available.

Big-man market leads to Clippers, Pacers questions

Outside of Davis and Sabonis as the premier names in the big-man market right now, the next tier of big men that teams have been discussing on the trade market are Claxton, Portis, Daniel Gafford, and Ivica Zubac .

With this said, Zubac is not expected to be moved, as the Clippers continue to signal that they want to add talent at the trade deadline, sources said. Steve Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, and Tyronn Lue all still believe in their veteran stars, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard , which is why Los Angeles will make some sort of upgrade before the trade deadline.

Bogdan Bogdanovic , Kobe Brown , and Chris Paul combine for roughly $20 million, while John Collins ' expiring $26.5 million contract gives the Clippers another option financially to explore on the open market. The only problem is that the Clippers virtually have no draft assets to trade.

Still, Coby White and Collin Sexton have been mentioned since the offseason as guards LA has targeted, sources said. Anfernee Simons is another guard the Clippers are known to have interest in, but his contract is likely out of their price range.

Along with Zubac, Gafford has generated significant trade interest this season after signing a three-year, $54 million extension in the offseason. The Indiana Pacers have been at the forefront of conversations regarding Gafford , while the Warriors, Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies , and Orlando Magic have all come up as potential suitors from multiple league sources.

Some have even suggested that Gafford is the type of center the Celtics need to have a championship-caliber roster once Jayson Tatum returns from his injury. Boston continues to be patient and has not signaled the plan with Simons' expiring $27.6 million contract. It no longer appears as if the Celtics will simply unload his contract just to move below the tax this season.

Indiana is in a peculiar situation. Everyone around the league knew the Pacers would take a step back this year following their NBA Finals appearance and Tyrese Haliburton going down with his Achilles injury, yet nobody expected them to be this bad at the bottom of the standings with a 6-31 record.

While many teams in this position would be instant sellers and begin rebuilding, that is not the case for Indiana. Aaron Nesmith can't be traded, and there is nothing to suggest that this organization would consider moving Andrew Nembhard .

As a result, Bennedict Mathurin , in the final year of his rookie deal, and Jarace Walker are the Pacers' biggest trade chips.

With four weeks until the NBA trade deadline, it continues to look likely that Mathurin will be on the move , despite his injury concerns. A trade to where and for what is the big question surrounding Indiana and Mathurin, as he will command a significant raise in the offseason as a restricted free agent.

Will there be a team willing to give up draft compensation and other assets for Mathurin, who could turn into another Cam Thomas or Jonathan Kuminga situation as a restricted free agent? Athletic, dynamic scoring wings like Mathurin are a rare commodity in the NBA right now, which is why Mathurin's market as a restricted free agent will be very interesting.

Although the Pacers are not actively shopping Obi Toppin, it is believed that the organization would consider trading him for a first-round pick in this year's draft. That is unlikely to happen, though, as Toppin has not played since Oct. 26 and is expected to return sometime in February after fracturing his right foot.

Between now and the trade deadline, both the Clippers and Pacers face key decisions that will directly impact their immediate futures.

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