If you go back to the trade deadline last season, one of the names the Phoenix Suns were continually linked with was Jonathan Kuminga, then of the Golden State Warriors.
The 23-year-old ended up being dealt to the Atlanta Hawks, yet after only a 22 game sample size (including six playoff appearances), they were comfortable letting him hit unrestricted free agency and turning him into an ineffective rental in the process.
Suns lucky not to have traded for Kuminga - but Bridges deal doesn't help
Whatever your thoughts on the athletic forward, and the Suns will surely be relieved not to have given up anything of value to acquire him, the fact the Warriors and Hawks both gave up on him is surprising. On any given night he looks close to putting it all together, and his attitude has long been rumored to be what is holding him back.
The fact Phoenix missed out on a player they pursued in the past also meant they were then able to turn their attentions to Miles Bridges this offseason. That has not gone down well.
Johnathan Kuminga's plan has backfired. 12 pts for $24M is not happening.
— The Basketball Diary (@TheBBallDiary) June 30, 2026
Hawks letting he him walk out the door for nothing. They don't think he is good.
Kuminga will be getting somewhere around $10M to 15M range. Maybe 3-4 years. https://t.co/bZMroPd0G2 pic.twitter.com/pL2PT8Txnm
Talking purely from a basketball standpoint, Bridges is obviously the better player and will help their offense on a nightly basis. Only the Suns wouldn't have been able to get the former Charlotte Hornet in the building if they had Kuminga, with a combination of Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale or draft capital (still can't believe that unprotected pick in 2033 is gone) being used to get the job done.
Would the short-term setback of trading for Kuminga have been better than Bridges likely getting an extension down the road to stick around from the organization?
It feels like a lose-lose situation, and one the Suns willingly put themselves into.
At least if Kuminga was gone they would be operating with some more cap space and having one of Allen or O'Neale still available to use in a trade. Contrast that with giving up so much to acquire Bridges, and now being stuck with a disjointed starting five while the vibes have taken a serious knock.
The only way this looks any better is if Jalen Green is moved for a player who makes more sense, but it is unclear if that will happen this offseason.
So while missing out on Kuminga was actually a good thing, and the fact he is still without a team is a surprise, landing Bridges instead feels like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fryer. Pat Spencer is a pretty cool get through right?
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