Disgruntled Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has requested a trade away from the Golden State Warriors, according to ESPN reporters Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.

The 6-foot-7 Kuminga has taken a major step in his ongoing contract and role saga by formally requesting a trade on the very first day he became eligible under his current contract.

The 23-year-old – who signed a two-year, $46.8 million deal this past offseason – began the season as a starter but has since been benched and left out of the rotation, not appearing in the Warriors’ last 13 games. Cumulating frustration over his role and diminished playing time appears to have led Kuminga to take the rare step of asking to be moved before the February 5 trade deadline.

Kuminga’s situation has been a source of speculation for months. While he and his camp previously negotiated contract terms – including rejecting earlier offers that lacked a player option and full control – nothing was resolved in a way that satisfied both sides. The forward’s diminished role this season has only added to the tension.

Now that he is trade-eligible – which only became possible on January 15 under league rules – Kuminga and the Warriors must navigate the next five weeks of the trade market. Several teams, including the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks, have already been linked to his name in prior trade speculation, though nothing has materialized yet.

From the Warriors’ perspective, the goal remains to secure a return that improves the roster around Stephen Curry, with front office sources reportedly eyeing expiring contracts or draft assets rather than long-term salary commitments. But with Kuminga’s request now public, the dynamics are likely to shift rapidly as the deadline nears.