The Golden State Warriors have spent much of the offseason under scrutiny, not only because of their pursuit of another championship but also due to the saga surrounding Jonathan Kuminga. What was once expected to be a seamless partnership between the Congolese forward and the franchise has instead turned into a stalemate. Kuminga wants out, the Warriors aren’t eager to let him go, and the tension has sparked questions about whether the front office really knows what direction it’s heading.
NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor is among those questioning the Warriors’ strategy, raising doubts about whether the team is truly “all-in” on Stephen Curry’s final championship window. On the surface, Golden State insists that it is committed to maximizing Curry’s twilight years. But as O’Connor pointed out, their actual decisions don’t fully reflect that urgency.
Regarding the Kuminga standoff, O’Connor was candid:
“Why would you want to go to a place where they don’t want you, and you don’t want them? It just doesn’t make sense. The Warriors clearly see him as a potential trade chip mid-season rather than a core piece.”
This reluctance to move quickly on Kuminga isn’t entirely surprising. Golden State is holding out hope that by waiting until the February trade deadline, they can secure a more favorable return. From a business standpoint, the logic is understandable. But from the perspective of Curry who has openly stated that winning another title is the only thing that matters this drawn-out process feels like a contradiction.
O’Connor also raised eyebrows about how long it took the Warriors to finally secure Jimmy Butler. The move, on paper, seemed like a win, but the timing and circumstances surrounding the acquisition were far from ideal. Butler, now well into his mid-30s, comes with a laundry list of flaws and health concerns. Pairing him with Curry and Draymond Green both also past their athletic peaks creates as many questions as it does solutions.
“The beginning of last season was a disaster,” O’Connor reminded. “Draymond and Steph aren’t giving their all until they get Jimmy Butler… But even then, are you really all-in if you waited this long and didn’t give up much to get him?”
It’s this sense of contradiction that fuels skepticism. The Warriors ended last season on a strong note, and if not for Curry’s hamstring injury, they might have pushed deeper into the Western Conference Finals. But banking on another run with a core of aging stars, while simultaneously mishandling young assets like Kuminga, sends mixed signals.
So, are the Warriors fully committed to Curry’s last championship chase, or are they caught between timelines unwilling to sacrifice the future, yet hesitant to decisively maximize the present? For O’Connor and many others, the answer isn’t clear. And for a team built on clarity, chemistry, and consistency, that ambiguity could prove costly.