Suns Deal 2 Veterans to Warriors in Mock Jonathan Kuminga Trade

Here's how a potential Jonathan Kuminga trade could look for the Suns.

Jan 31, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles past Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) in the second quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- Do the Phoenix Suns still have a realistic shot at landing Golden State Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga in a trade?

It seems highly unlikely based on Phoenix's current offer, but Kuminga's contract negotiations have gone on so long to this point that the Warriors need to come to a resolution soon before the start of the season next month.

Kuminga has reportedly turned down three different contract offers from Golden State because they don't include player options, and he could end up signing a one-year, $8 million qualifying offer.

Phoenix has reportedly offered Royce O'Neale, multiple second-round picks and a four-year deal approaching $90 million for the 2021 No. 7 overall pick, but the Warriors do not like their offer.

Bleacher Report Proposes Trade for Suns to Land Jonathan Kuminga

The Suns and the Sacramento Kings have been the two teams linked to Kuminga throughout this months-long standoff and continue to be with the talks ongoing even though a trade is unlikely.

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus proposed the following trade between the Suns and Warriors:

• Suns receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis
• Warriors receive: Royce O'Neale, Nick Richards, three second-rounders (2026, 2029, 2032), $5 million

Pincus added on the mock trade:

"Kuminga goes from the Warriors to the Suns via a sign-and-trade deal for almost as much as the Kings' concept, at a four-year, $81.7 million contract with a player option on the final season (starting at $19 million for the 2025-26 season).

"Phoenix finishes with 14 players, within $680,000 of the first-apron hard cap—triggered by taking in the allowable salary beyond the combined total of O'Neale and Richards' salaries.

"The Warriors also have a first-apron hard cap by taking in more (O'Neale and Richards) than Kuminga's outgoing salary of $9.5 million (half of his new figure). The team can allocate approximately $4.5 million of its taxpayer mid-level exception to (Al) Horford, along with players such as Seth Curry, (De'Anthony) Melton and (Gary) Payton.

"The 2026 second-rounder is the second-highest selection from the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Philadelphia 76ers. The Suns send their 2029 second-round pick outright, plus the lower of their own and the Houston Rockets in 2032. The extra cash from Phoenix is included to get the Warriors across the finish line in the deal, given the Suns aren't sending a first-rounder."

Pincus also dove into a few issues that could arise with this trade:

"The Warriors may not view Richards for Jackson-Davis as an upgrade. The lack of first-round compensation puts this concept on the back burner behind what the Kings can do. Conversely, O'Neale and Richards have shorter contracts than (Malik) Monk, and Golden State may be more inclined to give up Jackson-Davis than (Buddy) Hield (with Richards incoming).

"Then there's the fundamental issue that the Warriors may want more time to evaluate Kuminga before sending him out in trade."

Kuminga would be an automatic starter on the Suns and add to their new-found youth movement as they try to build around Devin Booker in his prime with very little future assets.

O'Neale and Richards already seem like prime trade candidates for Phoenix, as both don't fit the new timeline of the Suns with O'Neale being the oldest player on the team and Richards now in a crowded center room with two younger players.

However, these two players are not really that intriguing as an offer for Kuminga, and it's hard to see the Warriors wanting to do a trade like this unless talks with Kuminga completely fall apart.