As the Golden State Warriors enter their off-season, their biggest priority still lies in either re-signing Jonathan Kuminga or finding a suitable sign-and-trade partner in order to retrieve rotational value for the young forward.
However, as the end of the NBA Finals nears, Kuminga's market remains uncertain as a result of Kevin Durant's, and even Giannis Antetokounmpo's, potential availability, and the Warriors will likely need to wait for these bigger dominos to fall in order to deal Kuminga.
The Miami Heat, particularly, are among the teams rumored to be interested in both Durant and Antetokounmpo, were he to become available, and their interest in Kuminga will depend on how those deals play out.
Jonathan Kuminga's market remains uncertain for now
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Heat view Kuminga as a fallback option if they are unable to acquire either Durant or Antetokounmpo this offseason.
While Durant's stated preferred destinations are the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets, neither of those teams seems to be willing to part with the young pieces that the Phoenix Suns desire, and it has been reported that the Suns are going to prioritize receiving a package of young players over accommodating Durant's preferences.
Therefore, the Miami Heat, who are in possession of players such as Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. as well as their next five first-round picks, have emerged as serious contenders for a Durant trade in competition with teams such as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors.
At the same time, Miami and the Chicago Bulls are currently the two most likely suitors for a Kuminga sign-and-trade, rendering Kuminga's market dependent upon a Durant trade.
Kuminga, who averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists through 47 games last season, could fetch Golden State a nice return on the open market, perhaps even allowing them to retrieve the first-round pick they lost in the Jimmy Butler trade.
Yet, similar to a trade for Durant, this would need to happen prior to the NBA Draft on June 25th in order for a team to recoup their draft capital, and, since this is before the NBA's fiscal year resets, this presents a number of financial complications on the market.
Therefore, until a Durant trade is completed, Kuminga's market remains frozen, and the most likely scenario remains that Kuminga will return to the Warriors on an extension to his liking, even if this only results in a trade at his full monetary value next season.