The Phoenix Suns and superstar forward Kevin Durant are seemingly ready to part ways at any point this offseason, with reports that a trade is expected to happen before the NBA Draft kicks off on June 25. However, as trade talks take longer than expected, the league is at a standstill, waiting to see what will happen.
Of course, many teams who have expressed interest in Durant have to prepare for the reality that they may not be adding a 15-time All-Star, future Hall of Famer, to their lineup. So, one of the top free agents on the market, Jonathan Kuminga, could be an intriguing piece to many.
Kuminga is set to his restricted free agency, and the Warriors have reportedly been looking at sign-and-trade options to find the 22-year-old forward a new home. However, teams may be waiting for Durant’s dilemma to play out before making a decision on Kuminga.
A new report from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer on The Stein Line reveals that Kuminga’s future is clouded by the uncertainty of Durant’s.
“The immediate future of Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga would appear to be even more clouded by Durant uncertainty than DeRozan’s,” Stein and Fischer wrote.
Jonathan Kuminga is considered a ‘fallback option’ for the Miami Heat if they don’t acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kevin Durant, per @MikeAScotto
“Miami has prioritized pursuits of Giannis Antetokounmpo (if he became available this summer) and Durant (whom they’re actively… pic.twitter.com/HBt0n7dxZz
https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1934626920676593985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1934626920676593985%7Ctwgr%5Ef9426a829ba9c01b906887e23bd155949284b40a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fnba%2Fwarriors%2Fnews%2Fhow-kevin-durant-s-trade-dilemma-affects-warriors-star-jonathan-kuminga-01jy2z0sa3qs
“Kuminga, of course, will soon become a restricted free agent. There have been no tangible rumblings to this point that Brooklyn — which is the NBA’s lone team on course to have significant salary cap space this summer — has plans to pursue Kuminga with the Nets’ projected $55 million in operating room. Trying to forecast sign-and-trade scenarios that could potentially materialize for the bouncy 22-year-old swingman will thus be difficult to pinpoint until Durant’s situation is settled.
“Maybe Miami, for example, would make a sign-and-trade run at Kuminga in the event that the Heat don’t win the trade race to acquire the league’s No. 8 all-time leading scorer. Sources say Miami has registered a level of interest in Kuminga in previous transaction cycles.”
Dec 21, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Of course, Kuminga could always return to Golden State if they are willing to dig deep into their pockets for a player coming off a rocky situation with head coach Steve Kerr, but teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat could ultimately be better fits for the young forward anyway.
