As the Golden State Warriors have sat stagnant this offseason, the lingering fact of Jonathan Kuminga's restricted free agency has loomed over every decision they might have made to this point.
However, although his market has cooled somewhat since the start of the offseason, the Phoenix Suns have arisen as a new suitor for a Kuminga sign-and-trade, and the Warriors could now have the ideal opportunity as a result of the Bradley Beal signing.
Now that the Suns are under the first apron and have vastly increased financial flexibility, a move for Kuminga could be in the cards, and Golden State could take advantage of their rivals' eagerness.
The Phoenix Suns could become the ideal destination for Kuminga
Following a disappointing season in which the Suns missed the playoffs entirely and posted an abysmal 36-46 record, the team has sought to reconstruct their roster around franchise icon Devin Booker.
In doing so, they have traded away superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets and, just yesterday, allowed veteran guard Bradley Beal to complete a buyout and sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.
While these two moves have allowed them significant roster flexibility, they have also induced a newfound financial freedom. The Suns are now capable of making a significant trade this offseason to try and work their way back into contention.
The first sign of this desire is their newly reported interest in a potential Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
While Golden State has reportedly sought a return of a young player and a first-round pick in a potential Kuminga deal, such an offer has yet to materialize.
While the Suns own none of their own, tradeable first-round picks, it is possible that the Warriors' front office would be willing to adjust their asking price in order to find an acceptable return for Kuminga this offseason.
According to Fischer, Golden State and Phoenix have already considered a trade involving Kuminga during the pre-trade deadline discussions surrounding Durant. However, as a result of Durant's unwillingness to return to The Bay, these talks never materialized.
In adding Kuminga, the Suns could bring a dynamic scoring talent to their frontcourt, and, depending on what the potential package going back to the Warriors would be, Kuminga could finally be granted his wish of having a larger role in a team's offense.
While it is uncertain whether Phoenix would have the assets necessary to complete a deal, the fact that there are new suitors emerging should be ample cause for excitement for fans of Golden