Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency has become the saga of the summer. The Golden State Warriors forward is reportedly keeping his options open, as he tries to find the best possible situation for himself.
Should the Warriors decide to move on from Kuminga, they would need to do so via sign-and-trade. However, such a deal is tricky due to the base year compensation rule. Nevertheless, three teams have been linked with an interest in ending Kuminga’s tenure in the Bay Area: The Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls.
During a recent appearance on the “Hoop Collective” podcast, Warriors insider Anthony Slater explained the three boxes the Warriors want to tick with any potential sign-and-trade deal for Kuminga.
Those are:
- A young player in return
- No bad contracts
- And a future first-round draft pick
“There’s definitely a lot of asset management going on behind the scenes with this entire situation,” Slater said. “Part of the reason a sign-and-trade hasn’t gotten done for Kuminga, particularly the Kings and Suns, I would say have been the most aggressive, is because the Warriors have been pretty steadfast in their requirement of at least a first-round pick. They also want a young player, and they don’t want to take on bad contracts.”
Finding a fair trade package that meets all of the Warriors’ criteria while also working with the base year compensation rule won’t be easy. However, if a team is truly enamored with what Kuminga brings to the table, it will find a way to make things work.
Suns Lack Trade Assets to Land Warriors’ Kuminga
In a recent report from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, the Suns insider noted that the franchise doesn’t have the necessary assets to get a deal over the line.
“The Suns have interest in Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, league sources confirmed to The Republic, but are unlikely to land him because they lack the draft capital and assets to deliver in what would be a sign-and-trade for the Warriors,” Rankin reported.
According to Spotrac, the Suns are currently $4.2 million under the first luxury tax apron. It’s worth noting that if the franchise acquired Kuminga via sign-and-trade, they would become hard-capped. Therefore, they would likely need to create significant space in order to fit Kuminga within those restrictions.
Kuminga Wants a Bigger Role
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Kuminga is looking for a significant and defined role. He has spent the first four years of his career fighting for minutes. Steve Kerr has struggled to give him a consistent spot in the rotation.
“Kuminga no longer wants to be a secondary option or a fallback plan, fearing a minimization in important moments. He scored 18, 30, 23 and 26 points in the final four playoff games against the Minnesota Timberwolves after Curry went down,” Slater reported. “But Kuminga was entirely out of the rotation in the first round against the Houston Rockets, a painful memory that helps shape his current mindset. So he will remain on the summer search for a potential fresh start.”
Chicago, Sacramento and Phoenix could all give Kuminga the role he craves. However, finding a suitable trade offer is proving to be a difficult task. Kuminga will likely continue to take his time in making a decision regarding his next contract.
Therefore, any interested team will have the breathing room to figure out how to get a trade over the finish line, while ensuring the Warriors get a fair return for their former lottery pick.
