Long-time Phoenix Suns trade target Jonathan Kuminga officially signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday, and in doing so he ensured his new employers will finish below the Suns this season.
Timberwolves destroyed contending roster for unproven players
Kuminga's own inability to secure the bag has been well documented, and the Timberwolves are adding another streaky player to a core that already includes Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. We know Edwards is one of the best players in the league and has taken his team to the Western Conference Finals twice, but both Ball and Kuminga have achieved nothing.
To have shipped out Karl-Anthony Towns in the past and Naz Reid this offseason is giving up veterans and leaders in favor of "TikTok Starlets" best known for what they can do in five seconds rather than over the course of a campaign.
You could argue Ball is an upgrade in talent, but it is hard to make the same case for Kuminga after a poor stint with the Atlanta Hawks, in which they showed no interest in bringing him back.
Compare that to what's cooking in The Valley; the Suns will again be leaning on proven commodities to try and make the playoffs. They also have a roster packed with individuals who have a point to prove but no high-maintenance players. Only guys like Dillon Brooks, Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Devin Booker who want to win.
Miles Bridges only player who could cause issues
The Suns may have passed on Kuminga, but they took a risk of their own in trading for Miles Bridges.
He could ruin the continuity and culture the franchise worked so hard to build in the wake of Kevin Durant's departure, and there is no guarantee that the off-court issues that have plagued him in the past will not return.
Bridges was a more expensive short-term addition to make, as it cost them two players and an unprotected first-round pick in 2033, but it is still a better spot to be in than the Timberwolves. They are scrambling to try and keep their window open with Edwards at the helm, and the crazy trade for Ball and subsequent pickup of Kuminga only proves this.
Rudy Gobert has surely reached the peak of his powers, while Josh Green and Bones Hyland figure to be a part of their rotation as well. We'll take Jamaree Bouyea and Haywood Highsmith instead, thanks, and that only highlights the contrast in roster building between these two organizations.
The Timberwolves currently value flashy names and scoring over the fundamentals and sound roster construction of the Suns. They will finish below Phoenix as a result.
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