In the direct aftermath of Jonathan Kuminga re-signing with the Golden State Warriors, it appeared as though the Phoenix Suns were no longer in the running to acquire the up-and-comer. What the framework of Kuminga's contract implies, however, is that a trade remains imminent.
Much could change between now and the 2026 NBA trade deadline, but Phoenix's next move is clear: Deciding who to swap for Kuminga between Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green.
Kuminga re-signed with the Warriors on a two-year, $48.5 million contract with a team option for the second season. The widespread expectation is that the two sides will work on finding a mutually beneficial trade in 2025-26 to give both parties a fresh start.
Kuminga's new team would then be expected to decline the team option and sign the 22-year-old to a multi-year deal in that same range of $24.25 million per season.
The Suns will likely be one of the teams interested in Kuminga after attempting to sign-and-trade for him in 2025. If that comes to fruition, then there are two players who will likely emerge as intriguing talents the Warriors could pursue: Brooks or Green.
It's unclear which of the two players would be more ideal for Phoenix to move at this stage of the consideration process, but a deal for Kuminga remains a viable option.
Suns must decide if one of Dillon Brooks or Jalen Green are expendable in a potential Jonathan Kuminga trade
Brooks and Green are the most likely players to be traded for Kuminga for two obvious reasons. For one, they're talented wings who could provide immediate value to a Warriors side in need of under-30 talent that can space the floor and either strengthen the defense or create dribble penetration.
The other reality at play is that Brooks' 2025-26 salary of $21,124,110 and Green's figure of $33,584,499 would enable the negotiation process to take a realistic turn.
Neither salary perfectly aligns, meaning other players would need to be included to execute a trade. They're the type of talents the Warriors would likely be prioritizing, however, which makes this more viable than what the Suns would otherwise be able to offer.
Regardless of who else is packaged with or for Brooks or Green, the bottom line is that Phoenix's next move will be to evaluate which player is actually expendable.
Brooks is an ideal fit in Phoenix as a vocal defender who can help organize the team's efforts on that end of the floor. He's also coming off of a season in which he averaged 14.0 points and 2.5 three-point field goals made on 39.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc, thus displaying the scope of his 3-and-D capabilities.
With this in mind, the Warriors may very well make Brooks a priority in the hopes of creating a stronger defensive perimeter while simultaneously strengthening their outside shooting.
Green, meanwhile, is an explosive athlete with a solid jump shot and proven scoring acumen at just 23 years of age. In 2024-25, he averaged 21.0 points and 2.9 three-point field goals made on .423/.354/.813 shooting. He also shot 46.7 percent on 10.5 drives per game, which would help Golden State replace the very skill that defines Kuminga's value.
It's unclear if the Warriors will actually attempt to trade for either Brooks or Green, but the Suns' next move is clear: Decide which of the two players, if either, is expendable in a potential move for Kuminga.