NBA Notes: Warriors, Jonathan Kuminga, Raptors, Draft, Cooper Flagg

WARRIORS

Despite increasing their salary commitments for the 2025-26 season with the acquisition and extension of Jimmy Butler, the Warriors are still focused on retaining Jonathan Kuminga in restricted free agency.

“Absolutely,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob said when asked about the team’s interest in keeping Kuminga, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “One hundred percent. Are you kidding me? I love that guy. We love him.”

Kuminga, a known favorite of Lacob, has largely been excluded from the Warriors’ trade talks.

“Anybody can be traded,” Lacob said. “Anybody. Well, almost anybody. But we would never do that unless it was something incredibly significant.”

Butler, who recently joined the Warriors, expressed his excitement about playing alongside Kuminga, emphasizing his defensive abilities and versatility.

“I figure we’ll spend a lot of time together,” Butler said. “I would like to think I’ll make his job a lot easier and he’ll also make my job easier.”

NBA DRAFT

Duke forward Cooper Flagg has emerged as the dominant candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

Flagg’s performance has elevated during ACC conference play, posting a 32.7 Player Efficiency Rating (PER) in 13 games, up from 24.8 in 10 non-conference matchups. His January PER reached an impressive 36.1, while his True Shooting Percentage hit 70.7%.

“While other prospects have seen their production decline in conference play, Flagg has emerged as the best player in college basketball,” Givony wrote. “He’s the country’s most competitive and versatile defender, and he has a stranglehold on the No. 1 pick conversation with the myriad ways he affects winning despite turning 18 in December.”

Flagg, a standout at Duke, is poised to become the fifth No. 1 overall pick from the university since 1999, joining the ranks of Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson, and Paolo Banchero. If he can lead Duke on a Final Four run, Flagg’s legacy will be further cemented.

RAPTORS

The Raptors coaching staff has urged young players to focus on development rather than game-night results this season, prioritizing growth over wins and losses, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

However, the team’s recent trade for Brandon Ingram signals a shift toward a quicker rebuild.

“They want to compete starting next year,” a source with knowledge of the Raptors’ thinking told Fischer.

• Meanwhile, Raptors big man Chris Boucher had drawn trade interest from multiple teams and could be a popular buyout candidate. However, Fischer reports that there has been no current discussion of a potential buyout for Boucher.
• Toronto was viewed as the Cavs’ biggest threat for Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, who eventually ended up with Cleveland. We have the details here.