Warriors Rumors: Jonathan Kuminga, Nic Claxton, Stephen Curry

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga will be eligible to be traded January 15. He knows it. He just isn’t living there.

“I don’t look at that,” Kuminga said, via Nick Friedell of The Athletic. “I don’t put my mind focusing on that because it’s gonna take me out of the present.”

Instead, Kuminga said his focus remains simple. Get on the floor. Compete. Help the team win. Whatever comes after that, comes after that.

It’s the right answer. It’s also the only one that makes sense right now.

Center Search Intensifies

The Warriors’ front office, meanwhile, is very much living in the present. And the paint.

NBA insider Chris Haynes said during an appearance on NBA on Prime that Golden State is actively hunting for an athletic center, pointing to some uncomfortable numbers.

“They are looking for size and athleticism,” Haynes said. “Rebounding and blocked shots, they’re in the bottom half of the league. Points in the paint, they are dead last.”

Haynes identified three names on Golden State’s radar: Dallas big man Daniel Gafford, Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton and Portland center Robert Williams.

“I was told they are really serious,” Haynes added, “and they are trying to do everything they can to get this team back to championship-contender level.”

Reality Check

Golden State enters Saturday’s rematch with the Suns at 13-15 and riding a three-game losing streak, including Thursday’s 99-98 loss.

The Warriors are 5-10 in clutch games, defined as contests within five points in the final five minutes, Friedell noted.

Stephen Curry didn’t sugarcoat it.

“We’re obviously not a good team right now,” Curry said, pointing to the record and the repeated late-game struggles.

Coach Steve Kerr echoed that sentiment, citing energy and execution. Golden State was outscored 53-45 in the second half and committed 20 turnovers that led to 30 points.

“I thought we let our shoulders drop a little bit,” Kerr said. “We’ve got to be sharper with the ball. We’ve got to be better with our body language and our energy.”