With the Miami Heat’s season coming to a close on a sweep to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the team now heads into an offseason where improvements are expected to be made. As Heat captain Bam Adebayo teased big changes coming to the team after another disappointing finish, some may point to the rumors surrounding stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, but another name in Jonathan Kuminga could interest the team.There’s no doubt Antetokounmpo and Durant would make the team interesting, but the concern remains if Miami can afford them in regards to not just money, but assets. If the Heat strike out on hunting for a big-name star, they could look for other options that give the team talent at a lower price. In comes Kuminga.
In ClutchPoints NBA Insider Brett Siegel’s latest piece, he details how the relationship between the Golden State Warriors and Kuminga could be coming to an end. One of the teams mentioned as a possibility is Miami, which even “coveted” the 22-year-old during initial trade talks involving Jimmy Butler before the eventual deal at the deadline.
“The Miami Heat are also known to hold interest in Kuminga,” Seigel wrote. “When the Warriors and Heat engaged in preliminary Butler trade discussions in December, Miami coveted Kuminga, sources said. Golden State had zero intentions of trading Kuminga for Butler. As a result, those first trade conversations fell apart.”
“Once Miami was willing to salvage any value they could for Butler, a deal was made involving Andrew Wiggins and others at the trade deadline,” Seigel continued.
Why the Heat shouldn’t acquire Jonathan Kuminga
As the Heat are coming off a season clouded by the Butler drama, the team is looking for another piece to add to a core that includes the main duo of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Looking at the front office’s thinking, they may see a player like Kuminga and are interested in the untapped potential that’s present and has been shown in spurts with Golden State.
There’s no denying how the relationship between the Warriors and Kuminga has been rocky this past few seasons, especially currently as he’s unable to find a clear role, especially since the inclusion of Butler. Even head coach Steve Kerr said it himself on 95.7 The Game regarding the Butler and Kuminga “combination.”
“I have to read what we need. I have to read who’s playing well together, and to be very frank, the Jimmy/JK combination has not been great, and that’s the tricky part here,” Kerr stated. “I’m playing Jimmy 40 minutes a night because Jimmy is, he’s one of the very best players in the league. And there’s a reason we’re here and we’re the seventh seed, and the reason is Jimmy, and so my job as a coach is to keep the team on a path that I think gives us the best chance to win. And for now, that’s why I’ve been leaning into the lineups that I have.”
However, if the Heat are looking to contend next season or make some noise, Kuminga very likely doesn’t give them what they need.
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Would it be worth it for the Heat to pursue Jonathan Kuminga?
While the Heat had been eyeing Kuminga previously, the one positive would be that the team wouldn’t need to give up a whole lot to obtain him. He could be a long-term piece at his age, but the question the Miami front office has to ask itself is if they want to make noise currently or possibly some in the near future.
Plus, Kuminga will be a restricted free agent heading into this offseason, meaning that Golden State will initiate a sign-and-trade with the Heat if they want to do the deal. Meaning you would give some assets and sign Kuminga to a contract. Is it worth it?
At this point, it’s hard to tell. Plus, will he fit alongside Herro and Adebayo as the second or third option eventually? As noted in Seigel’s piece, Kuminga is more efficient with the ball in his hands and with the aforementioned two Heat stars, will that change be beneficial?
The answer that could be leaning for most people is more on the negative side. With Adebayo saying after the Game 4 55-point loss that he expects “a lot of changes” because of his “understanding how the guy with the silver hair works,” which is about Pat Riley, would Kuminga be the result?
“I don’t know, there’s going to be a lot of changes this summer, just from my point of view, understanding how the guy with the silver hair works,” Adebayo said. “So just be prepared for that.”
It remains to be seen what Miami does, but they are looking to improve after a 37-45 record, which put them 10th in the East.
