The Phoenix Suns bought out Bradley Beal to be freed from the worst contract in the NBA and are now rumored to be interested in a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade to replace him. Kuminga wants $25 million per year, despite never playing more than 26.3 minutes per game for the Warriors. The Suns don’t have cap space, so this would be a sign-and-trade that quickly turns into a disaster for Phoenix.
Owner Mat Ishbia is no stranger to nightmare moves. Trading for Beal may be his worst. Giving up a ton of capital to get Kevin Durant wasn’t far behind. Now, Ishbia wants to gamble on a young talent who has clashed with his current organization, and pay him like a star. This may just be the Suns' newest nightmare.
To acquire Kuminga, multiple players would have to go out the door. The 22-year-old has been clear about seeing himself as a star, so Ishbia can’t plan on keeping Jalen Green. If the Suns do, this is just a much worse version of the star trio they just disbanded.
Suns' nightmare would get even worse if Jonathan Kuminga rumors are true
Kuminga wants to be a 20-point per-game scorer, but he struggles on defense and can’t space the floor. The Suns already have that player in Jalen Green. Mark Williams is a subpar defender, so Phoenix is not suddenly going to have this lockdown defense. Getting a bunch of ill-fitting scorers on overpaid contracts won’t result in wins either. The Suns will be a lottery fixture.
Kuminga has had a negative box score plus-minus in each of his first four seasons. Last year, the Warriors were 3.9 points per 100 possessions better with him on the bench. The 22-year-old forward puts up numbers, but they don’t translate to wins.
Ishbia loves to make bold proclamations. He thinks they can compete, but it is a tall task. If the Suns want to contend before Beal’s dead money comes off their books, they need to spend every dollar wisely. Overpaying Kuminga in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle goes counter to that.
This isn’t just about spending. Ishbia needs to build a roster that fits around Devin Booker. Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t. The tantalizing prospect wasn’t willing to play a role in Golden State and would be another headache in Phoenix. That is the last thing they need after Beal’s departure.
The Phoenix Suns are light on tradeable assets, but have some flexibility after getting out of the aprons. Do not be surprised to see Ishbia swing a trade before the deadline, and it will likely be another disaster. Fans should hope it doesn’t include Jonathan Kuminga coming to the Valley, or things will only get worse.