It’s no secret that the Golden State Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga’s relationship has reached a breaking point. Just days ago, Kuminga finally requested a trade from the organization that drafted him following a removal from the rotation, and multiple suitors have emerged in a potential trade.

One of those suitors is the Dallas Mavericks. The team is looking to kickstart a new era around rookie #1 overall pick Cooper Flagg while moving on some of the older pieces, and one of those pieces might be the key to acquiring Kuminga.

According to reporter Evan Sidery, Mavs center Daniel Gafford has come up in negotiations between the two teams. The big man is an athletic rim-runner, someone who can catch lobs to provide vertical spacing, while also being a solid rim protector and rebounder who can seal off the paint next to Draymond Green.

Most importantly, it adds someone who has experience playing in high-stakes games, including the finals, to the Warriors, who are still trying to build a contender around Stephen Curry. For a team that repeatedly gets bullied inside due to a lack of size and paint defense, the appeal for Gafford, who is tied to a $54 million deal over three years starting next season, is obvious.

Golden State was previously connected to Mavs superstar Anthony Davis, who fits the same mold as Gafford, but clearly on a higher level. However, according to insider Chris Haynes, the Mavs were unimpressed with the returns the Warriors offered, and matching salaries became a problem as well.

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For the Mavs, Kuminga is a high-upside swing player, which is something every successful team hopes to have: young, versatile wings. On a team looking to retool, he would have more opportunity to grow.

What a Potential Jonathan Kuminga-Daniel Gafford Trade Could Look Like For Mavs-Warriors

With the Dallas Mavericks prioritizing upside to build around Cooper Flagg, Jonathan Kuminga checks every box they’re trying to fill: young, explosive, and untapped.

The Warriors are operating under urgency, especially amid fractures between the two parties and a mismatched timeline, and Gafford provides reliability, structure, and size.

A trade would require more than a straight-up swap given their unmatched salaries, so other players need to be involved. One mock trade from Sam Quinn has the following exchange:

Mavericks Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield

Warriors Receive: Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson

It gives the Warriors an answer to their center issue, while also closing the emotional loop of this era of the Warriors, and Dallas absorbs Kuminga’s money with the chance to resign him on a friendlier deal in the summer after his contract expires.

The Mavs have been openly exploring trade markets for both Gafford and Thompson, as well as Davis and D’Angelo Russell, and this trade could be the best for both sides.

While the Warriors might not end up as a top-tier contender, the team can let Stephen Curry ride off into the sunset in his twilight years with a solid roster, something that has become a rarity since the team won the 2022 championship.