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Heading into the 2025 NBA offseason, the Phoenix Suns felt like a ship lost at sea. Or in this case, stranded in the desert. After the Suns traded away Kevin Durant for a massive haul, Jonathan Kuminga slowly crept into their radar.
The latter has been battling contract negotiations with the Golden State Warriors. As a result, he's been looking for a possible way out.
Since that reported message, the Suns have been at the forefront of the Kuminga sweepstakes. They have some competition, with the Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls also being interested.
However, not landing the youthful wing could cost them down the road.
The Suns should've traded for Jonathan Kuminga
Even with the Warriors stating they will retain Kuminga, landing the wing in the Valley of the Sun could've been something special. More importantly, it could've been a nice move to limit Golden State's success.
Circling back to the Suns, though, adding Kuminga could unlock a series of defensive potential within the lineup. To start, the team already has Ryan Dunn playing the small forward position.
He is 6'8 with a 7'2 wingspan. Meanwhile, Kuminga is also 6'8, but with a 7'0 wingspan. The latter might be undersized in terms of height, but the arms and ability to steal and contest shots are a major win.
Furthermore, he's one of the more explosive players in the NBA. Joining Jalen Green and Dunn could turn the defense into one of the league's best, just based on athleticism.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott has a quality reputation for establishing and coaching an athletic and disruptive defense. It happened with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2024. Perhaps it might transfer over if Kuminga were to be on the team.
Offensively, there are still some glaring concerns. The outside shot hasn't been anything to glamour about. Also, the face-up game hasn't been too effective, or existent to a significant degree.
Green and Devin Booker can do the heavy lifting, creating perimeter shots. At some point, Kuminga's lack of a consistent perimeter shot could be a legitimate concern.
Jonathan Kuminga fits the Suns' current timeline
Except for Booker, just about everyone on the 2025 Suns roster is relatively young. They have a barrage of rookies, and some that will be immediate contributors. Khaman Maluach and Koby Brea, just to name a few.
Like Green, Kuminga is only 22 years old. He's played four seasons and is starting to scratch the surface as to who he is as a basketball player.
For the former No. 7 overall pick, playing alongside proven veterans like Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins doesn't help his case. He's only started 84 of the 258 games he's ever played.
Going to Phoenix could be good for him. A change of scenery can take him to the next level, much like Green. Both players are looking to further prove themselves as legitimate stars in the league.
Kuminga heading to the Suns could be just that move. Still, there are some problems with the trade.
The Suns don't have the assets to trade for Jonathan Kuminga
While Phoenix was more than interested in a sign-and-trade, they simply didn't have enough assets to land the rising star. One of the potential trades involved Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards, along with four second-round picks.
In return, they would give Kuminga a four-year, $90 million deal. The contract wouldn't hit the books too hard. However, there aren't enough assets for the Warriors to accept. Mostly, it was the lack of first-round picks.
Either way, they kept trying, and trying, and trying, and trying.
Regardless of the outcome, if Kuminga has his true breakout season, the Suns could be kicking themselves in the shin for the next three to four seasons.
