As the Golden State Warriors have looked to reach a contractual resolution with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, it is looking more and more likely that he will be traded sometime within the next year.
As a result, the Warriors will need to find a forward who can fill the role that Kuminga has largely refused to take on, and the Miami Heat, in making what will likely be their final signing of the offseason, have left Trey Lyles available as the perfect replacement.
Although the Heat were recently tied to Lyles as a solution to their lack of frontcourt depth, their signing of 27-year-old guard Dru Smith has effectively guaranteed that Lyles will be available for Golden State if the dominoes fall the right way.
Trey Lyles could be the perfect Jonathan Kuminga replacement
At the outset of this offseason, it was widely thought that Golden State would attempt to find a favorable sign-and-trade offer from Kuminga. Yet, as interest around the league waned, the team reportedly reverted back to their ongoing contract negotiations, looking to sign Kuminga to a short-term, tradeable contract that would allow him to be moved next season.
Yet, whether Kuminga is moved before or after the start of the season, the Warriors will still need to add some depth to their frontcourt in order to make up for his absence.
Kuminga, as a dynamic scorer, has had a particular impact on Golden State's rotation, and his scoring average of 15.3 points when healthy last season would be difficult to replace in free agency.
Yet, Kuminga has always seemed hesitant to take on the defensive and rebounding role that the Warriors always have needed him for, and Lyles, while he is not quite the scorer that Kuminga is, could certainly do so.
Last season with the Sacramento Kings, Lyles averaged 6.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists, shooting 34% from beyond the arc and 70% from the free-throw line. While Lyles' game is certainly not as flashy as Kuminga's, he possesses the veteran experience and dependability that could earn him significant minutes in Steve Kerr's rotation.
Moreover, Miami's signing of Smith has brought them to just under $200 million in cap allocations, rounding out their roster and, given the implications of their trading Haywood Highsmith to the Brooklyn Nets, likely representing the financial limits to which they are willing to go this offseason.
Therefore, if a Kuminga deal does ultimately happen before the season begins, Lyles could be a cheap solution to a sudden problem the Warriors could create for themselves.