It’s unclear what the Phoenix Suns will do ahead of February’s NBA trade deadline.
They have a variety of options they can pursue, including even a pat on the back with the selection they have. Under first-year head coach Jordan Ott, they have played beyond expectations despite several injuries.
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is a man whose name has been floating around in trade rumors for a while now. In July, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported the Suns’ interest in Kuminga via a possible sign-and-trade route. They noted that Phoenix made “the most lucrative attempt” to strike such a deal with Kuminga, but reports now indicate that interest is waning.
The contract situation seems to be the main reason for this.
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported that “there is now much less interest” from the Suns in acquiring Kuminga. Gambadoro notes that the Suns’ interest over the summer was rooted in the sign-and-trade option that allowed them to acquire Kuminga on a relatively reasonable four-year deal worth $90 million.
Now that he has signed with the Warriors, Kuminga has a club option for the 2026-2027 season, after which he can become an unrestricted free agent – while potentially signing a very lucrative free agent contract.
Based on that, it doesn’t make much sense for the Suns to give up assets for what could ultimately be a short-term rental. That’s especially true if they think they could be players Kuminga could sign later when he hits free agency in his mid-20s.
The Suns would likely be more likely to take on a larger contract coming off the books soon, giving them more flexibility in their salary caps going forward.
The priority for Phoenix right now should be improving the roster around star guard Devin Booker, and Kuminga’s lack of contract years doesn’t give them much wiggle room in that regard. Booker signed a massive two-year contract extension that will pay him $145 million and keep him around through 2029-2030 if he chooses a player option.
Sports Illustrated echoed Gambadoro’s reporting in saying the Suns only have a ‘decent’ interest rate in Kuminga. They note that the 23-year-old may not now be polished enough as a player to significantly improve Phoenix’s roster and help Booker compete in the Western Conference.
Even Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said, “None of us know what’s going to happen with JK,” said NBC Sports Coverage.
Kerr said he wants Kuminga to be “the best player he can be regardless of where he ends up, whether that’s here or elsewhere.”
Provided Kuminga doesn’t get consistent playing time under Kerr, the “elsewhere” part seems most likely.
But for “elsewhere” to become The Valley with the Suns, at least for now, seems more far-fetched than even a few months ago.
With Booker and Jalen Green set to return from their injuries in the coming days or weeks, the Suns’ priority should be to evaluate what the roster looks like when healthy and go from there.
But as per the latest reports, a deal for Kuminga appears to be on the back burner.
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